The Delhi High Court suggested at increasing the penalty for littering as the amount of fine is inadequate and asked the Centre and the AAP government to consider amending the law in this regard. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said the legislature needs to address the issue of inadequate penalties for dirtying the city and added that it “may require amendment of the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act”.

The court has been monitoring the issue of garbage removal and disposal from the city after it was told that lack of cleanliness also lead to spread of vector-borne diseases like dengue.

The issue of vector-borne diseases was raised before the court in two PILs filed by lawyers Arpit Bhargava and Gauri Grover who have sought directions to the municipal bodies and other authorities to take steps to prevent spread of dengue, chikungunya and malaria.

The court also asked the Delhi government to place before it the draft bye-laws, framed by the three civic bodies, with regard to solid waste collection and disposal which has been pending with the AAP administration. The bench asked the Delhi government to also file the suggestions given by a court-appointed committee, set up to design programmes for creating public awareness about cleanliness.

The Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) was asked to devise an hour-long literacy programme for creating awareness about cleanliness among school children and listed the matter for hearing on August 2.