Delhi HC directs Governments to decide representation seeking inspection of centrally Air-conditioned building

New Delhi [India], August 5 : The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed concerned authorities of Centre and Delhi government to decide the representation of a petitioner seeking direction to take appropriate measures enabling the proper dilution-ventilation of air in built environments keeping in view of the presence of biological contaminants in the air.
After taking note of the submissions made by Advocate KC Mittal (Former Chairman, Bar Council of Delhi) appearing for the petitioner, the bench of Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh directs the authorities to decide the representation expeditiously according to the applicable rules, regulations, and policies.
The petitioner, Raja Singh a research scholar through plea stated that the use of dilution ventilation for the prevention of the spread of the airborne disease has an important role in playing a positive role in increasing the overall ventilation of the space for important matters like outdoor dissipation, the exhaust of fumes, dilution of carcinogenic volatile organic compounds and prevention of the build-up of carbon monoxide in the space.
The petition was filed through Advocate Yugansh Mittal and Advocate Amit P Shahi. It also states that a building designed to prevent the spread of airborne infection will automatically prevent the spread of aerosolized biowarfare or chemical warfare agents.
The second wave has unleashed untold sorrows for the residents of Delhi, India and other parts of the world. As we recoup from the second wave, it is well known that a third wave is inevitable. It has been stated that in this third wave the children would be most vulnerable as they have till now not been vaccinated and there have been rising cases of infection among children in the current second wave. In households, due to lack of proper ventilation, lack of openable windows and air conditioners causing recirculation of the air, the children would be most vulnerable.
Lacking vaccination, they may be surrounded by adults who might be asymptomatic or with mild symptoms. In some cases, their only source of support may be their parents who may be Corona positive asymptomatically or with mild symptoms. In such cases, prevention of COVID-19 infection spread would be the most crucial for these children. Lack of sound ventilation and using air conditioners with open windows or proper dilution ventilation may serve as a gamechanger in these cases, plea read.