Dengue prevention in UP: HC not satisfied with govt's action

Not satisfied with the Uttar Pradesh government's action on dengue prevention, the Allahabad High Court has summoned the state's chief secretary on October 27.
The court has also asked him as to why action should not be taken against the state government as per the constitutional provisions as it could not discharge its duties in this matter.
This order was passed by a division bench of justices Amreshwar Pratap Sahi and Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya on four PILs seeking information and proper action for prevention of dengue.
The petitioner counsel alleged that the state government did not utilise the aid extended by the Centre for disease prevention in 2013-14.

On October 7, the court had questioned the wisdom behind the state government's move to return central funds to the tune of Rs 24.38 crore for prevention of diseases like dengue in 2013-14.
The court had also directed the principal secretary, medical health, to furnish details about the amount received for dengue prevention from the central government and the amount utilised in 2014-15 and 2015-16.

The court had fixed today as the date of hearing the case and directed the responsible officers of the departments concerned like health, LDA and Municipal Corporation to appear before it.
On behalf of the state government it was today informed that some aid amounting to Rs 8 crore of the Rs 24.38 crore had been utilised and action was being taken for prevention of dengue, but the court was not satisfied.

According to petitioner's counsel Kuldeep Pati Tripathi, principal secretary medical health appeared and filed his affidavit stating therein that action was being taken against negligent officials and means were being adopted for prevention from dengue.
But the court was not satisfied and observed that only paper work was being done in this matter, Tripathi said.
The court while passing aforesaid order, fixed October 27 as the next date of hearing the matter.