VIRESH SHANDILYA Vs. STATE OF HARYANA AND ORS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This order shall dispose of CWP Nos. 16438 and 16084 of 2006 as also CWP No. 14803 of 2007. The Petitioner in CWP Nos. 16438 of 2006 and 14803 of 2007, describes himself as President of the Anti-Terrorist Front of India which is stated to be a registered body dedicated to the cause of fighting and eradicating terrorism which, according to the Petitioner, has taken shape of a global menace. In these writ petitions filed in public interest, the Petitioner seeks directions to the Respondents to take instant remedial measures to prevent and treat the dreaded disease of dengue fever, Diarrhoea, gastroenteritis and cholera which are alleged to have spread like epidemics in Ambala City and the entire district of Ambala due to pitiable unhygienic conditions, specially due to accumulation of polluted/contaminated water.

(2.) The Petitioner's grievance is that due to apathy and sheer negligence of the Local Administration, District Ambala has fallen a prey to the dreaded dengue fever which had initially broken-out in Delhi in October, 2006 and soon thereafter spread-over to the adjoining States. Relying upon several photographs and the new reports, the Petitioner accuses the authorities of turning a blind eye to the heaps of garbage and accumulation of contaminated water in every nook and corner of Ambala City, which have become breeding centres for mosquitoes. Pointing an accusing finger at the public servants as to how they indulge in self-service only it is alleged that the 'malathion-fogging' has been done only in the areas where the Deputy Commissioner and the Senior Superintendent of Police reside, leaving the rest of the city at the mercy of the mosquitors. The Petitioner has further alleged that no Municipal Representative has ever turned up to take stock of the garbage, open pot-holes filled with contaminated water or sewage spilling and other related problems and his own efforts to meet the Deputy Commissioner, Ambala to apprise him of the alarming situation created by the spread of dengue fever, have also met with no success. The Civil Hospital, Ambala City is stated to have no separate and proper Ward for admitting dengue patients and most of the patients were being referred to the PGIMS, Chandigarh.

(3.) Since the State of Punjab and the U.T. Chandigarh were no exception in the matter of reporting of dengue fever cases, the Motion Bench enlarged the scope of these proceedings and issued notices to these entities as well.