NAME OFFICIALS STALLING DENGUE FIGHT: SC TO GOVT

Name officials stalling dengue fight: SC to govt

The Supreme Court asked Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain on Friday to file an affidavit in three days substantiating his allegation that officials were reluctant to file an affidavit in the apex court on a PIL seeking coordinated efforts to tackle the outbreak of mosquito-borne diseases in the capital.

After going through Jain's affidavit, a bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur asked the Delhi government counsel to tell the health minister to file apersonal affidavit naming the officials who refused to file the affidavit detailing the steps taken by the government to curb the spread of dengue and chikungunya, and provide adequate healthcare to patients.

The bench told Jain that he had made “serious allegations“ against officials. Jain's affidavit was indicative of the tussle between the Centre and the AAP government after the Delhi high court upheld the lieutenant governor's primacy in administrative matters.

It also portrayed that the minister had to sign the affidavit as officials were reluctant to sign it fearing reprisal from the LG and the Centre.

Senior advocate Ajit Kumar Sinha, appearing for the LG, told the court that the AAP government was resorting to falsehood and that the LG or the Centre had never put pressure on any Delhi government official not to sign affidavits or follow lawful orders.

Declining more time so ught by the Delhi government counsel to prepare a list of reluctant officials, the bench clarified that since Jain had made the allegation, he would file the affidavit on Monday .

It also declined the AAP government's request to furnish the names of officials in sealed cover. “Since you have made the allegation in open court, you must make the names public. This is a serious issue,“ the bench said.

The SC had sought response from the Delhi government after taking suo motu notice of the death of a seven-year-old boy in the city due to dengue who was allegedly denied treatment in five private hospitals. In a tragic turn of events, his death triggered suicide by his parents.

Delhi to submit names on Monday

The Delhi government on Friday said it would submit an affidavit in the Supreme Court on Monday naming officials who have been “defying“ the administration's orders with specific instances of non-compliance. “The government will name officers not following its orders in the affidavit to be submitted on Monday,“ a source said. 

(toi)