HC asks Centre, state to reply on dengue PIL

The Bombay high court (HC) ordered the state and central governments to file a reply on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a not-for-profit that sought to declare dengue a notified disease.

The Bombay high court (HC) ordered the state and central governments to file a reply on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a not-for-profit that sought to declare dengue a notified disease.

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A notified disease is one that is required, by law, to be reported to government authorities. The authorities can then monitor the disease and provide early warning of possible outbreaks.

City-based NGO Help Mumbai Foundation had approached the HC asking that the state and civic body carry out safety and preventive measures for dengue, owing to the increase in the number of cases in the state.

The PIL was filed in November last year, soon after the death of Bollywood director Yash Chopra owing to dengue. Petitioners asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to form an inter-agency dengue task force, comprising government agencies, private associations and medical professionals to monitor and implement the dengue control programme.

The BMC, in its reply affidavit, said it had undertaken a five-point programme to create awareness about the spread of the disease.

Action is being taken for prevention and control of dengue, the affidavit states. Reports of dengue cases from major hospitals are obtained on a weekly basis.

The list is then given to medical health and pest control officers of the ward concerned so that they can take preventive measures.

A division bench of chief justice Mohit Shah and justice Anoop Mohta has sought the Centre and state governments’ reply by March 21.