Delhi HC takes suo-motu cognisance of increasing mosquito infestation in city

A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh took suo motu cognisance of the mosquito menace in the city and asked the civic authorities to pull up their socks.

The Delhi high court on Monday took suo motu cognisance of the mosquito menace in the national capital and said that it has the potential to cause problems amid the pandemic. The court highlighted that due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) situation in the Capital the steps taken to contain the mosquitoes has taken a back seat.

An employee of city civic body, sprays smoke during an anti-malaria fumigation drive. ( AFP/For Representational Purposes Only)

A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh took suo motu cognisance of the mosquito infestatioin the city and asked the civic authorities to pull up their socks. The high court itself initiated a PIL and listed the hearing on May 28 before a bench headed by the Chief Justice.

The court instructed three municipal corporations, Delhi government and local bodies New Delhi Municipal Council and Delhi Cantonment Board to intimate it regarding the steps these authorities have taken to mitigate the situation and its plans for containing the mosquito infestation in the future. The authorities have been asked to file a status report by Thursday.

Delhi high court highlighted that the national capital sees a rise in vector-borne diseases like dengue, chikungunya among others during and after the monsoon season. It pointed out that this has the potential to add to the problem as the city battles the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic.

“Every year during and after the monsoon months, there is a rise in vector borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya. If this is not contained, with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the rise of such diseases would add to the existing problems and complexities,” the court said.