Expressing dissatisfaction over the measures being taken by the official machinery to contain dengue and other fevers, the Telangana High Court directed the Chief Secretary and other top officials to appear before it on Thursday.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice A. Abhishek Reddy, taking serious note of its earlier orders not being implemented, observed the HC cannot shut eyes if its directions were not followed by the official machinery. The bench was hearing on Wednesday two PILs on public health and the spread of fevers like dengue which claimed several lives.
Not convinced by the additional affidavit, contents of which were read out by the Advocate General B.S. Prasad, filed by the government, the bench summoned the Chief Secretary and other top officials concerned to appear before it by 10.15 a.m. on Thursday. The AG told the court that there was dip in the number of dengue cases reported in the State in the past few days.
He said the government had purchased equipment which can even count the mosquitoes. “We don’t need machines that count mosquitoes but require those machines that kill mosquitoes,” the CJ remarked. Referring to Meteorological department forecast about rains in the next couple of days, the bench sought to know what measures the government was taking to check spread of fevers in such situations.
The bench noted that the additional affidavit only said about installing hoardings to enlighten people about incidence of dengue but had no details on carrying out a massive campaign to help people understand how such fevers spread and the remedial measures. The CJ described the additional affidavit filed by the Medical and Health Principal Secretary as ‘lackadaisical and half-hearted effort’.
This was not expected from the government, he said. The bench remarked that officials should understand that a mosquito does not distinguish a bureaucrat and a poor man when it bites someone. Observing that “our people are dying” (apparently referring to the recent death of a judicial officer from Khammam reportedly due to dengue), the bench said the government was still not able to take effective steps.
The bench wondered if the government would not respond till a bureaucrat meets similar situation. The CJ recalled the outbreak of plague which devastated Europe in early 1300 during which thousands of people died. Among the dead were two Popes also. When the plague struck, it did not distinguish between a common man and Pope, the bench observed cautioning the government to take corrective measures before the present situation goes out of control.
The GHMC Commissioner, Principal Secretary of Medical and Health, Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare, Director of Public Health, Institute of Preventive Medicine Director and State Epidemics Cell Joint Director were among the other officials instructed to appear before the HC.
