HC junks 2 pleas by NGO over anti-terror vehicles, fire engines

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday declined to entertain two PILs (public interest litigations) by an NGO, which wanted deployment of fire engines at all major public places and providing "anti-terrorist vehicles" and better weapons to the police to ensure safety and security of the city's residents.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice A J Bhambhani dismissed the pleas saying the reliefs sought for are part of the administrative work of the authorities and the court was not going to interfere in that.

"These are administrative matters. We are not interfering. Dismissed," the court said. The order came on two pleas moved by NGO Anti Corruption Council of India through its chairman Hussain Mueen Farooq. The NGO had contended that it was the need of the hour to deploy fire engines at all major public places and hospitals to ensure faster response to any incident of fire in the national capital.

Delhi government additional standing counsel Anjum Javed opposed the plea saying it was not possible to grant the relief sought due to "traffic problem" and existing policies. In its other petition, the NGO had asked the court to direct the Centre to provide "anti-terrorist vehicles and high standard of weapons to Delhi Police for safety and security of the people of the national capital". The plea was opposed by central government standing counsel Ravi Prakash and advocate Farman Ali Magray, who said the petition was not maintainable.