What were you doing for two months, why didn’t you plan, asks green court

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday criticised the three municipal corporations, the New Delhi Municipal Council, Delhi government and the

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday criticised the three municipal corporations, the New Delhi Municipal Council, Delhi government and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for not taking stringent measures to control the spread of dengue and chikungunya in the capital.

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“What were you doing for the last two months? It looks like you have no plan. Everyone in Delhi is sick,” the green panel, headed by NGT chairperson Swatanter Kumar, said.

“Except vague statements which are being made by the corporations and authorities that they have been making all possible efforts to control these diseases, nothing substantial has been placed before us on record. There are averments which are unbelievable,” the bench said.

The green court also constituted a principal committee headed by the chief secretary of Delhi government to formulate an action plan to control the ‘outbreak’. The committee will include commissioner so fall corporations, vice-chairman of DDA, head of the Delhi Cantonment Board, New Delhi Municipal Council, principal secretary of health and director general of health services of Delhi government as members.

The committee has been asked to submit a comprehensive report to the court within a fortnight. The committee has also been asked to conduct an urgent meeting on Thursday at 11am at the chief secretary’s office.

The order came while hearing a petition by former Central Pollution Control Board scientist, Mahendra Pandey, who demanded that action be taken to ensure that residents of Delhi are not exposed to serious diseases like dengue and chikungunya.

APEX COURT TO HEAR PIL ON DISEASES

The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear a petition filed in public interest on the outbreak of mosquito borne diseases like chikungunya and dengue in the capital.

The petition, filed by Delhi doctor Anil Mittal, has sought direction that a panel of experts be set up to ascertain the steps taken to tackle diseases like chikungunya in the country in general and Delhi in particular.

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for Mittal, said: “Certain areas falling under the South Delhi Municipal Corporation have become garbage dumping grounds where mosquitoes are breeding.”

Gonsalves referred to photographs showing heaps of garbage lying in residential areas of south Delhi.