Delhi HC to continue hearing in vector-borne menace matter

The Delhi High Court will on Tuesday continue hearing a suo motu cognizance by the court, seeking action by the government and civic authorities to stop the spread of diseases such as dengue and chikungunya.

Earlier on May 16, the High Court had pulled up the Centre, the Delhi Government and the civic agencies for failing to take appropriate steps in regard to combating the spread of vector-borne diseases.

Taking a dig at all the three authorities, the court said that mosquitoes don't wait for meetings and asked the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to conduct mapping of vulnerable areas where dengue and chikungunya cases have occurred.

Earlier this month, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal issued directions for a comprehensive plan to make the national capital mosquito free.

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.

In 2016, Delhi saw its first ever chikungunya outbreak that affected 9,661 people. In 2015, 16,000 dengue cases were reported and 60 people lost their lives to the disease.