Chikungunya spread: SC to hear PIL on Chikunguniya menace in Delhi on September 26

New Delhi [India], Sept. 21 (ANI): A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the Supreme Court on Wednesday against the Delhi government over its inability to control the spread of chikungunya, dengue and malaria. The plea was filed by Delhi-based doctor Anil Mittal who asked for proper steps to be taken to stop the spread of chikungunya, dengue and malaria. The apex court division bench is headed by Justice Anil R. Dave has decided to hear the plea on September 26. The PIL makes South Delhi Municipal Corporation and other wards of Delhi as party in the matter. The plea says Delhi has been used as a dumping ground. Earlier, Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday and apprised him of the fact that the Delhi High Court had asked the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) last year to take steps to prevent the spread of these diseases. Talking to ANI, Satyendra Jain said Kejriwal has charged the MCD with not carrying out fogging the way it should have been done and had asked him to get it done properly. Meanwhile, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia held a press conference to announce that he will ensure that dengue, chikungunya and malaria in Delhi are kept under check through intensive fogging in all areas. Sisodia spoke about how flogging will be used till the end of October to remove all mosquitoes. He further mentioned that although this work is under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), still the Delhi government will co-operate with the MCD to push the agenda to fight these vector-borne diseases all over Delhi. Several cases of dengue and chikungunya have been reported from all over Delhi in different hospitals. Sir Ganga Ram Hospital has admitted 100 patients who have tested positive for chikungunya and 39 tested positive for dengue. Five deaths from chikungunya complications were reported till yesterday at Apollo Hospital here, most of the victims were aged 80 or above. AIIMS laboratories have tested 1,443 chikungunya blood test samples positive till September 13. At the Centre-run Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, 425 chikungunya cases have been reported this season while 112 have been diagnosed with dengue. At Safdarjung Hospital, also Centre-run, 536 chikungunya cases and 342 dengue cases have been confirmed this season. (ANI)