Delhi HC raps municipal corporations over garbage removal at dhalaos

The court termed cleanliness claims made by the corporations as ‘eyewash’, saying it was a major contributor to breeding of mosquitoes.

The Delhi high court rapped civic bodies in the capital on Wednesday over their failure to remove garbage from ‘dhalaos’ (local collection centres), saying it was a major contributor to breeding of mosquitoes.

Cows foraging through garbage for food in east Delhi.(PTI FILE PHOTO)

Terming the cleanliness claims made by the municipal corporations as “eyewash”, a bench of acting chief justice Gita Mittal and justice C Hari Shankar directed additional solicitor general Sanjay Jain to take action against the corporation’s officials.

The order came after a TV news report, which was screened inside the courtroom, showed the neglect in garbage collection by the corporations, especially in east and north Delhi, despite repeated directions from the court.

“This is a callous disregard of the rights of the citizens... Take action against the officers who are responsible... and it can’t be the safai karamcharis on the ground,” said the bench which is looking to put in preventive measures against mosquito breeding before the onset of monsoon.

When the ASG, appearing for one of the municipal corporations, said that there was a tussle amongst various agencies operating in the capital, affecting the collection of garbage, the bench remarked that solid waste management was the job of the MCD and NDMC.

“First, set your house in order. See if your staff are doing their job,” the bench said, adding that the corporation has “pathetically failed in managing solid waste”.

The bench asked why penal action should not be taken against the officers as they are allowing breeding of mosquitoes due to which “people are dying”.

The court also reminded the corporation that safai karamcharis were not being given proper equipment such as broom or space nor safety items.

It directed the ASG to report to it on the action taken by the corporations to prevent breeding of mosquitoes by timely collection of garbage from ‘dhalaos’.

The court has fixed the case for further hearing on June 27.