BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) should evolve a continuous mechanism to check and control the breeding of mosquitoes which is the primary cause of dengue, the Karnataka High Court said. Any individual, residential society or hub, if found to be negligent in clearing water stored in containers, stagnant water or solid waste, which may result in the breeding of mosquitoes, should be subjected to heavy fines by framing proper rules, the court said.
A division bench of Chief Justice NV Anjaria and Justice KV Aravind made these observations in the order pronounced on a suo motu public interest litigation taken up after publication of a letter on the rampant spread of dengue, in the ‘Letters to the Editor’ column in a newspaper in July 2024.
The court said the state and civic authorities should not remain complacent in discharging their duties to deliver medicare for citizens, and control the spread of the disease. Whenever any disease or pandemic poses a threat to public health, the measures directed by court could be applied to control the disease, and ensure citizens their right to health and a clean and disease-free environment, the court said.
It also said the purpose of this suo motu PIL was to activate the authorities in the wake of the spread of dengue, minimize fatalities due to the disease and keep the disease away from the common citizen.
The court also took note of measures taken by the State government and BBMP, and figures which revealed that dengue was on the decline both in its intensity and spread. The number of patients, admissions and deaths had dropped, the court said, disposing of the petition.
The court recorded its appreciation for senior counsel KN Phanindra for acting as amicus curiae effectively, assisting the court in advancing the cause of the public interest petition.