Will pass further directions if necessary to check dengue: Delhi HC

 New Delhi: After passing a slew of directions to combat diseases like dengue and malaria in the national capital, the Delhi High Court Wednesday said it could pass additional orders if needed.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath said it has already passed necessary directions to Delhi government and civic bodies while disposing of a plea seeking implementation of measures for curbing of vector-borne diseases.

"We have already passed certain directions in another plea. We will consider the matter and if necessary, we will pass further directions," the bench said while reserving its order on a plea filed by advocate Arpit Bhargava, seeking directions to the city government to take steps to combat dengue.

During the hearing, counsel for petitioner alleged that nothing concrete has been done and patients suffering from dengue were still not being admitted in hospitals.

Delhi government standing counsel Rahul Mehra said the government has started a toll-free helpline for dengue patients and the number of beds in hospitals have also been increased.

On September 24, the Aam Aadmi Party government has told Delhi High Court it has released around Rs 60 crore to the three municipal corporations in the city under various sanitation schemes to combat the threat of dengue and other vector borne diseases.

It had said that the amount released forms 75 per cent of the total budget allocation of Rs 81.52 crore under the schemes.

Petitioner in his plea had said that the funds were released only after 23 people, including children, died due to the disease and asked why the government waited till now to take the step.

He had alleged that most of the steps that the Delhi government claimed in its affidavit to have taken, came after the PILs were filed.