The Delhi High Court on Monday expressed concern about controlling mosquito infestation in the city. It observed that control measures have taken a “back seat” in the Capital, noting that if the situation is not controlled immediately, the rise in vector-borne diseases could lead to more problems and complexities amidst the pandemic
A Bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Jameet Singh initiated a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) on the issue of mosquito infestation and directed the Delhi government and municipal corporations to respond to the the work done this year.
“We are initiating a suo motu PIL today... situation is very bad on mosquito infestation. With onset of monsoon, and looking at the pandemic, we may end up with a major problem,” the High Court remarked.
Noting that every year there is a surge in vector-borne diseases such as dengue and chikungunya, the court said that this issue need not aggravate this year as the city was already facing the pandemic.
The court said the government must pull their socks on this issue. “If it [vector-borne diseases] is not contained urgently, with the ongoing pandemic, the rise of vector-borne disease could lead to problems and complexities.”
It directed all five municipal bodies here and the Delhi government to submit the steps taken and steps that will be taken by Friday, the next date of hearing. The order came while hearing a bunch of petitions on the issue of management of COVID-19 situation in Delhi.
