The Madras High Court on September 30 directed the Tamil Nadu government to file a status report by October 15 on the steps taken to contain spread of dengue in the State.

A division bench of Justices M Sathyanarayanan and N Seshasayee also wanted a report on the measures taken to provide emergency medical attention to dengue affected patients. The court passed the interim order on a PIL moved by advocate AP Suryaprakasam.

According to the petitioner, the state has already lost three children to dengue. He claimed that there were a large number of vacancies in the health department, particularly in primary health centres, and cited it as the reason for such a situation. The petitioner also wanted the state to provide Rs 10 lakh compensation to the families of children who died of dengue. He further wanted the court to appoint an expert committee of health and other experts in the field of public safety and communicable disease to consider the efficacy of the measures taken by authorities in tackling dengue. The court must also direct for free and immediate medical treatment to all dengue affected people in private hospitals of their choice at the governments expense, he added.