Delhi HC slams MCD on dengue, chikungunya; asks why should people suffer

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday heard several petitions seeking action taken by the Delhi government and civic authorities to stop the spread of dengue and chikungunya. 

The high court asked the Delhi government as to why citizens of the national capital continue to face the threat of Dengue and Chikungunya. It said this was so because the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has not been able to clear garbage in unauthorised colonies.

The high court also questioned the Delhi government on the issue of rampant regularisation of unauthorised colonies that is making the job of municipal corporations harder.

"For right to shelter and right to the city and the community, you are compromising on the health of citizens," the high court told counsel of the city government.

 

The bench said that it would pass an order on the issue on Wednesday.

The bench of Justices Gita Mittal and C. Harishankar asked the MCD what will happen if the safai karamcharis go on a strike for three months, while referring to the current crisis in East Delhi Municipal Corporation.

Justice Gita Mittal noted that garbage was not collected overnight and it was because the job was not done.

"We need to streamline the process of garbage collection and disposal. We need biometric attendance at least 3-4 times a day. Take pictures of Dhalaos and we will make it a part of the order. There will be a visible difference in Delhi," Justice Gita said.

The court also expressed its displeasure with work style of the municipal corporations.

The court also said that the Delhi Legal Service is also planning to start a programme of awareness for citizens about the cleanliness and solid waste management.

Earlier, the high court slammed Municipal Corporation of Delhi (north, south and east) in failing to manage the sanitation and garbage management in the national capital.

The South and North MCD commissioners had appeared before the court, while the EDMC commissioner got exemption as he was out of the country.

After watching the media reports in the courtroom, the high court clearly said that these reports are showing the ground reality and the reports showed by the MCD are clearly an 'eyewash'.

The court also questioned the MCD over their planning, coordination and preparation leading to clogging of drains and the unaddressed problem of garbage lying unattended in the city leading to vector-borne diseases in the national capital.

Rebuking all the sections of MCDs for keeping in view the growing menace of vector-borne diseases especially dengue and chikungunya, the Court criticised the MCDs for being apathetic towards the problems of people.

The court questioned them over their zero preparation leading to clogging of drains everywhere just by light showers in the national capital.

As per a status report of South Delhi Municipal Corporation, 80 cases of chikungunya and 30 cases of dengue have already been reported in Delhi in just four months, since January 1 this year, even though the season for vector-borne diseases in Delhi is between July and December.