Hold meeting to finalise protocol to control vector-borne diseases: HC

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Friday asked that a meeting of all concerned stakeholders, local authorities, and departments of the Delhi government be called for considering and finalising the protocol for controlling vector-borne diseases such as malaria, chikungunya, and dengue.

A bench headed by Justice Vipin Sanghi, which was hearing its suo motu case concerning large-scale mosquito breeding in the city, was informed by corporations' counsel Divya Prakash Pande that a draft common protocol has been framed in a meeting pursuant to the participation of several authorities.

Delhi government counsel Satyakam submitted that roles have been imposed on some of its departments such as the PWD even though they were not present in the meeting.

The bench, also comprising Justice Jasmeet Singh, observed that a commitment should come from all involved and therefore another meeting should be called to hear out those departments or authorities which did not participate at the time of the formulating the draft common protocol but have been assigned duties and responsibilities.

Let us first have this protocol worked out with everybody's participation so that there is the commitment that yes this is what our mandate and this is what is expected of us and this is what we will do. That commitment should come that this we are willing to handle, the court said.

The department will say yes or will say sorry I can't do this do for ABCD reason or if there is some tweaking. Whatever is required, you come up with a better document. All of you should sign it and bring it before us, it added.

The court stated that once the stakeholders have worked out a protocol, a high-ranking officer who commands authority in the administrative hierarchy should be appointed as the nodal officer for its implementation.

It is advisable that another meeting is called by the nodal officer with the participation of all the departments and agencies to whom roles have been or may be assigned in the matter of control of vector-borne diseases in the NCT of Delhi, the court said in its order.