MCGM took all steps suggested by Mah govt against diseases: HC

The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) today told the Bombay High Court that it had taken all the measures suggested by Maharashtra government, including setting up a control room in the city, to tackle vector-borne and water-borne diseases, including leptospirosis, H1N1, dengue, swine flu and malaria.
This was stated in an affidavit submitted by the civic body to the court which was hearing a public interest litigation filed by NCP corporator Dhananjay Pisal.
The affidavit also said that the civic body was properly utilising funds on public health earmarked in its budget.
The bench asked the petitioner's lawyer Umesh Mohite to file a rejoinder on the issue and posted the matter for hearing on July 18.

The petitioner urged the court to direct formation of a special investigating team to probe how the civic body utilised the money allotted for public health.
According to the PIL, Rs 3,700 crore were earmarked this year in the civic body budget for public health but the funds are not being utilised fully.

It has been observed from previous records that only 18 to 20 per cent of the funds kept aside for healthcare was used by the municipal corporation, the PIL added.
Stating that only one civic hospital has facilities to test samples for leptospirosis, the petition demanded that all municipal hospitals should have this facility so as to save crucial time in bringing a patient to the sample test centre as the delay could prove fatal for patients.

The PIL requested a probe into the failure of civic hospitals to provide medicine, equipment and staff for public health despite having a budget to tackle water-borne and vector-borne diseases.