The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to clean and fumigate around 500 abandoned flats in west Delhi’s Janakpuri and make sure there are no breeding grounds for mosquitoes in the area.
“There are nearly 500 DDA flats which have been constructed but are at present lying abandoned and there is collection of water in and around these flats, which causes great health hazards in the area,’’ A Bench of the NGT noted.
The green panel also directed the Delhi Cantonment Board, to ensure that the ponds near Jharera village, close to the cantonment area, were cleaned and fumigated to eliminate mosquitoes and reduce the chances of an outbreak of dengue or chikungunya.
The direction came after local commissioners appointed by the tribunal pointed out that several spots in the city had become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. They also told the tribunal that there were fountains across the city where no steps have been taken to check infestation of mosquitoes.
Getting strict
The directions come a days after the NGT expressed unhappiness over government buildings such as central Delhi’s Haryana Bhawan turning into a haven for mosquitoes, and had ordered that the complexes be cleaned.
The Bench had then appointed 12 local commissioners to inspect the city and report any problems on the ground.
