Hyderabad, April 04: An advocate has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the High Court against government bodies and departments for failing to control the mosquito menace in the twin cities. He has listed eight respondents in his petition and said because of their callous attitude, the menace was increasing. He has even quoted liberally the points that were raised in a story published in these columns recently.
The respondents are the GHMC, chief secretary, Union ministry of Health, secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development department, Hyderabad district collector, Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB), Railways department, chief executive officer, Cantonment Board and the vice-chancellor of Osmania University.
“Taking a serious note of the mosquitoes menace, a division bench of the High Court, comprising Justice Eswaraiah and Justice Suri Appa Rao directed the respondents to reply on the issue by submitting a comprehensive report in four weeks,” Wasim Ahmed Khan told Express. The petitioner, a practicing advocate, said he filed the writ petition questioning inaction of the state government, the GHMC and other respondents in failing to curb the mosquito menace.
“The historic city of Hyderabad, also known as the pharmaceutical capital of India is suffering for the last four to five years from mosquito menace and as a result malaria cases are on the rise. This was on the account of callous attitude of officials. A number of residents are suffering from viral fevers followed by malaria, dengue, chikungunya, filaria and other diseases caused by mosquito bites,’’ Khan mentioned in his petition.
He also submitted various photographs relating to stagnation of dirty water, open nalas, rotting garbage, overflowing drainage and damaged and unused garbage lorries lying at garbage storing points adjacent to the Snow World amusement park. He also submitted a CD with photographs pertaining to Secunderabad Cantonment area, Railways and Osmania University under different folders along with an affidavit.
Khan said the mosquito menace is prevailing in all residential localities on either side of Musi river especially in Nayapul, Malakpet, Dhabilpura, Yakutpura, Chaderghat, some parts of the Old City, Mehdipatnam, Tolichowki, Nadeem Colony, Nagole and Uppal.
–Agencies