HC wants report on Centre’s plan to combat ‘mosquito menace’

Appearing for the Centre,Additional Solicitor General Rajeev Mehra said the government was working on implementing the action plan and a report on the matter would be prepared.

The court’s direction came during the hearing of a PIL by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal,who sought formation of an independent committee to monitor implementation of the Centre’s long-term action plan to combat the “mosquito menace” in the city.

In his plea,Bansal said: “Direct the respondents to constitute an independent committee to effectively monitor the implementation of the long-term action plan issued by the Directorate of National Vector-Borne Disease Control Programme,the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.”

“It is the duty of the respondents to effectively and properly implement the long-term action plan issued by the respondent number 1 (Central government) in a time-bound manner so that the dengue menace can come to an end,” the plea said.

Citing data on dengue cases in the Capital for 2007-2012,the petitioner also mentioned media reports,which said the count has gone up drastically this year as compared to previous years.

The PIL also wanted the court to examine the steps taken by the Delhi government,the municipal corporations,the New Delhi Municipal Council and the Health department.

“There is a lack of coordination among the officials of the Union and the state governments,those of the municipal bodies and it results in non-implementation of the long-term action plan of the Central government,” the PIL said.

Dengue cases cross 1,000-mark in the city

Number of dengue cases in the city crossed the 1,000-mark on Wednesday,with 34 people testing positive for the vector-borne illness. The total dengue patients this season,till now,is 1,019.

This is the highest tally since 2010,when the number of cases had crossed 5,000 and dengue was close to being declared an epidemic.

The number of malaria cases in the city is also at a five-year high — 240 people had been diagnosed with malaria till this week.

Health officials have their hopes pinned on the decrease in temperature,which is expected to stem mosquito breeding.

Fumigation has been intensified across the city after breeding spots for both types of carrier mosquitoes were found. Breeding spots have been identified at many hospitals,including AIIMS,and at the Union Health Ministry office in Nirman Bhawan.

A large number of doctors and healthcare workers have also been diagnosed with the diseases.

The South Municipal Corporation has reported the highest number of dengue cases this year at 381. It is followed by the North corporation at 334 cases. For malaria,the North corporation has the highest cases.

On Tuesday,Delhi Health Minister A K Walia said the government was looking to revise the penalty for violation of civic norms of not maintaining hygienic conditions. He said the fine levied should be increased from the current Rs 500 to Rs 1,000.

Government officials said most of the breeding spots are identified around construction sites.

Many hospitals have added dedicated wards or have reserved beds in other departments for dengue patients.

Student dies of dengue

A 21-year-old student of Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) here succumbed to dengue on Wednesday morning. Lalit Prajapati,final-year student of BTech (Computer Science),had returned from his home in Ballabhgarh,Haryana,on Tuesday morning.

“Prajapati had gone home during the Dussehra holidays. He returned on Tuesday morning and the semester examinations were scheduled to begin on Wednesday. By the time he reached the institute’s dispensary,he was very ill. He was referred to Nazareth Hospital,where he died,” MNNIT spokesperson Tanuj Nandan said.

The examinations were postponed for a day as a mark of condolence. The students demonstrated on the campus following the death.

“He was a good student and had been selected for a job with a prominent software company early this year,” an official said.