New Delhi, Oct 27 (PTI) The Delhi High Court Wednesday asked the three municipal corporations and other civic agencies to file further status reports on the steps taken by them to control mosquito infestation and prevent vector-borne diseases like malaria, dengue, and chikungunya in the national capital.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh said it has perused the steps already taken by the authorities to control mosquito breeding and said it would keep the matter pending for some time to monitor the situation.

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“Looking to the nature of the petition which has been initiated by the court on its own and the steps already taken by the respondent authorities and steps which are to be continued, we direct them to file fresh status reports on further steps taken and to be taken,” the bench said.

The court asked three MCDs—East, South, and North, Delhi government, Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Cantonment, and New Delhi Municipal Council to file the status reports listed the matter for further hearing on December 24.

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The court had in May initiated a PIL on its own after it was concerned over the mosquito infestation in the national capital and the possibility of the rise of vector-borne diseases amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic if the situation was not controlled immediately before the onset of monsoon.

While initiating the PIL on May 24, the high court had said that on account of the prevailing pandemic, the steps to be taken by the Delhi government and civic authorities have taken a back seat and they needed to pull up their socks.

In its earlier affidavit, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NrDMC) had said that till May 27 there have been two cases of malaria, 2 of dengue, and no cases of chikungunya in areas under its jurisdiction.

It had further said that it was taking all the measures, like focusing on health education and community awareness, to control vector-borne diseases.

Besides, it carried out house-to-house inspections, dealt with mosquito breeding wherever it found the same, conducted anti-larval measures like spraying insecticides in drains, stagnating water, and residential areas on weekly basis.

It had also said that it has sent out lakhs of SMS on private numbers to create awareness about vector-borne diseases and vulnerable areas that have been mapped out and are being kept under a "tight vigil".

It had said that it has also issued challans to house owners who were not taking steps to prevent mosquito breeding in their premises, despite clear instructions of the corporation.

Similar steps were also taken by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), according to its affidavit, which had said that till May 27 there were 4 cases of malaria, 10 of dengue and two of chikungunya in areas under its control.

The East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) had told the court that it carried out vector surveillance in areas under its control and also conducted public awareness campaigns in the localities in its jurisdiction.

Besides that, it too had claimed to have carried out house-to-house inspections and anti-larval measures as claimed by the other two corporations.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)