Justice Ali Baqir Najafi of the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench issued the notice to the health secretary, Rawalpindi Commissioner, EDO, DO health, as well as CPO on a petition filed by Sanaullah, a resident of Gulzar-i-Quaid, and fixed November 26 for its hearing.
The petitioner argued that due to negligence of the respondents the death toll of dengue patients has increased in Rawalpindi.
“The respondents neither sit in their offices nor meet the public or even pay any visit to the affected areas but inviting public to their offices at Khayaban-i-Sir Syed giving them a number to contact them,” he claimed.
The petitioner has sought action against the officials for misleading, lying and creating hardships for the poor people.
EDO and DO health have been working on the same posts for the last 10 years in violation of rules, he maintained. The EDO and DO lied that the dengue larvae had been eliminated completely, while the environment department found it at 10 places.
The petitioner prayed to the court to order registration of criminal cases against the respondents for negligence.
The petitioner also pleaded that the health secretary be ordered to ensure free medical facility to the infected persons.
Saimul Haq Satti, counsel for the petition, when contacted, confirmed to The Express Tribune that the court has accepted the petition for hearing and issued notices to the respondents.
According to Rawalpindi district health department, a total of 1073 dengue cases have been reported in the district so far this year.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 20th, 2014.
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