SC asks Jung, Kejriwal govt to unite and fight against chikungunya

Warning Delhi government against playing any blame game, the Supreme Court on Tuesday directed chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and health minister Satyendra Jain to hold a meeting with Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung by Wednesday to chalk out a strategy for curbing vector-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya in the national capital.

Sit down, talk and fight together the Capital’s worst chikungunya outbreak. That’s the message from the Supreme Court on Tuesday to lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung and the Aam Aadmi Party government, locked in a running feud over who controls Delhi’s administration.

Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) conducting a fumigation drive to tackle dengue and chikungunya in East Delhi. (Arun Sharma/HT file photo)

The remarks came as Delhi recorded its highest ever — 1,598 — chikungunya cases in the week ending October 1, though hospital data show new infections are down.

“There is no question of playing any blame game. You have the responsibility to look after the people of Delhi. You may be great, but you have to do something to maintain that stature. No digging of the past should happen,” the court said.

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It was hearing a petition that complained of little preventive measures being taken to control the mosquito-borne disease.

The court asked Jung to convene a meeting with chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and health minister Satyendar Jain at 2pm on Wednesday. Top officials of four municipal bodies, Delhi Metro, northern railway, Delhi Development Authority, and the Union health secretary should be present too, the bench said.

Advocate CU Singh, representing health minister Jain, said the government has no control over the civic bodies responsible for keeping the city clean. The three municipal corporations in Delhi are ruled by the BJP.

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