Can’t afford malaria & dengue crisis now: Delhi HC

NEW DELHI: With the capital already reeling under the deadly wave of Covid-19, the Delhi high court on Monday asked all civic bodies and the AAP government to prepare to control the outbreak of mosquito-borne diseases.
“We are inclined to take suo motu cognisance of mosquito infestation, which has inflicted Delhi. Due to pandemic conditions, steps that were being taken by municipal corporations and government to contain such infestation have taken a back seat. You need to pull up your socks,” a bench of justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh said, while initiating a PIL on the matter.
The high court said if the situation was not controlled immediately, the rise in vector-borne diseases could lead to more problems. “The situation is very bad because of mosquito infestation. With the onset of monsoon, looking at the pandemic, we may end up with a major problem. If mosquito infestation is not contained urgently, with the ongoing pandemic, the rise in vector-borne diseases could lead to problems and complexities,” it pointed out.
The court directed Delhi government, three MCDs, Delhi Cantonment and New Delhi Municipal Council to file their status reports on the steps already taken and to be undertaken on mosquito infestation by Thursday. The high court initiated a PIL, on its own, on the issue and listed the case for hearing on May 28 before a bench headed by the Chief Justice who deals with PILs.
It said every year during and after monsoon, one sees a surge in cases of chikungunya and dengue. “All of us are seeing the mosquito problem. Let's be aware of it. If people get dengue or something and they need to be hospitalised in Covid times, it will multiply the problem manifold,” the bench said.
In 2017-2018, the court had taken up a batch of PILs on the menace posed by dengue and chikungunya in the wake of limited outbreaks in some parts of the city.