Don’t blame Lieutenant-Governor for your failures, Supreme Court tells AAP government

The Supreme Court on Friday slammed the Aam Admi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government for not effectively dealing with the chikungunya cases the city and said it should not put the blame on the lieutenant-governor for its fault.

“You can’t treat the people of Delhi like this,” a bench comprising justices Madan B. Lokur and U.U. Lalit said. The bench was hearing a suo motu petition relating to rise in chikungunya and dengue cases in the city.

The Bench perused an affidavit filed by the Delhi government in which it said that certain officers are not obeying the government’s directives. The affidavit has said that officials were not taking responsiblity and all files pertaining to diseases like dengue and chikungunya were being sent to L-G for clearance. The office of the lieutenant-governor is obstructing our functioning.it added.

Taking note of the affidavit, the court asked the Delhi government to name the officials. The court also refused to accept the state government’s plea to disclose names of officers in a sealed envelope.

The Bench told the counsel, “It is a very strong allegation and you have gone on record to say this in an affidavit. So take responsibility for what you have said and give us the names.” The Bench had appointed senior advocate Colin Gonsalves as the amicus curiae to assist the court in this case.

Senior advocate Ajit Sinha appearing for L-G refuted the charge that officials were not cooperating to fight the diseases as alleged by the Delhi government.

The bench sought response from the Delhi government on a suo motu plea relating to the death of a seven-year-old boy in Delhi due to dengue after allegedly being denied treatment by five private hospitals and subsequent suicide by his parents. The court had last year taken suo motu notice of the matter after a couple — Laxmichandra and Babita Rout, both natives of Odisha, committed suicide by jumping from a four-storeyed building in South Delhi’s Lado Sarai after their only son Avinash died of suspected dengue.

Five hospitals — Max hospital in Saket, Moolchand Khairatiram Hospital in Lajpat Nagar, Aakash Hospital in Malviya Nagar, Saket City Hospital and Irene Hospital, Kalkaji, were issued show cause notices to explain why their registration should not be cancelled for allegedly refusing to admit the boy.

Counsel Colin Gonsalves had earlier said chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes, causing high fever and severe joint pain. The senior lawyer referred to photographs showing heaps of garbage lying in residential areas of south Delhi and alleged that the SDMC was not rising to the occasion.

He pointed out that over 2,600 chikungunya cases have been reported in Delhi till September 17 and the disease has caused 15 deaths so far. The Bench posted the matter for further hearing on October 3.

Over 2,600 Chikungunya cases have been reported in Delhi till September 17 and the disease has caused more than 15 deaths so far. Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes, causing high fever and severe joint pain.