Delhi HC takes tough line on vector-borne diseases: Why don’t authorities think

Delhi has to breathe, people of the city cannot be allowed to die because of garbage and vector-borne diseases such as dengue and chikungunya, the Delhi High Court said, pulling up the Centre, AAP government and civic bodies over their failure to keep the capital clean.

“It’s your (authorities’) Delhi, why don’t you think? Right to shelter is not above right to clean, hygienic environment, where we all can survive,” a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said.

“It’s high time that persons responsible should be held accountable for lack of cleanliness and unhygienic condition of Delhi,” it said, adding that authorities are misleading the court with regard to action taken towards cleaning Delhi and prevention of dengue and chikungunya.

The bench’s observation came on seeing a news channel report highlighting non-removal of garbage by the East Delhi Municipal Corporation from some areas.