[Dengue] Delhi High Court directs Uttar Pradesh to ensure officials are present in meeting of stakeholders

The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice to the resident commissioner of Uttar Pradesh after none of its officials participated in a meeting to chalk out strategy to control the spread of Dengue and other mosquito related diseases in the national capital [Court on its own motion v North Delhi Municipal Corporation and Ors]..A Division Bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh said that the orders of the Court should be communicated to the Commissioner and he should ensure that some senior officials of Uttar Pradesh’s irrigation department participates in the meeting; otherwise he should remain personally present in the court on the next date of hearing..The Court took a stern view of the matter after it was informed that in compliance with it’s February 4, 2022 order, a meeting was scheduled on February 15 to discuss and chalk out a plan to control the spread of Dengue and other diseases.However, despite notices of the meeting being sent to all the parties, Delhi’s education department, flood and irrigation department, National Vector Borne Disease Programme (a department under the Central Government) and UP Irrigation department did not attend the meet.The Court was told that a large part of the national capital is surrounded by the State of Uttar Pradesh whose cooperation is necessary to control the outbreak of diseases like Dengue and Malaria. While the counsel appearing for the Delhi Government said that communication to its departments were sent on the wrong email and a senior official will be present in the next meeting, the Court was told that there was no one representing the State of UP and Centre..Notices have now been issued to the National Vector Borne Disease Programme as well as the Director General (DG) Prisons directing them to make sure that some senior officials from their side are present in the meeting which will be held in the next two weeks..As it was pointed out that the Court had in December asked the Delhi government to amend the Municipal Corporation Act so that fines imposed on people enabling mosquito breeding should be increased but there is no development on that, the Bench directed the State’s Chief Secretary to personally look into the aspect so that the amended law is brought in at the earliest.According to the Municipal Corporations Act and its bylaws, the maximum penalty its officials can impose on the violators who are found to be not cleaning their premises is ₹500 however, they have sought more punitive power and therefore have demanded that the fines should be increased to ₹10,000-20,000. Meanwhile, the Delhi government has also been directed to examine and act upon the suggestion made by the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) for evolving a common portal so that the cases of Dengue pertaining to the nearby States can be monitored for early action..The Court, therefore, asked all the stakeholders to file their action taken reports and listed the case for further hearing on March 25.