Angry at the authorities' callous attitude, the Delhi High Court Wednesday asked the Delhi government's health department and Delhi's civic bodies to initiate steps to prevent the recurrence of dengue fever, which has claimed more than 200 lives in last two years. A division bench headed by Chief Justice M.K. Sarma asked the agencies to comply with its previous directions to prevent mosquito breeding.
"After all, these steps are something that a government agency should be able to take on its own without having to be told to do so. But the situation is such that every year one can see so many cases of dengue being reported. That could be prevented through simple precautions by the municipal department that they do not do, and hence the court felt it necessary to order such steps," it said.While asking the government agencies to file an action taken report (ATR,) the court directed the government to provide sufficient blood platelets in the blood banks in the capital so that they were prepared to face any eventuality.
Dengue is caused by the bite of a type of mosquito called aedes aegypti that breeds in stagnant water.
In 2005, nearly 12,000 people were affected across the country and the death toll was 157. About 75 people succumbed to the disease last year.
In spite of the government's claim that the "situation is under control", the potentially fatal disease resurfaced this year and some people were afflicted with the disease.
Source-ANI
LIN /J
