Chandigarh, July 21 -- Taking strong note of the ongoing sanitation workers' strike in parts of the state during the monsoon, which raises the risk of an epidemic, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday directed the Punjab government to file an affidavit within two days, detailing all municipal councils facing such strikes and the steps taken to tackle the "alarming situation".

".(the law officer) is not in a position to dispute that an alarming situation with respect to sanitation has arisen in other municipal councils as well where the sanitation workers are on strike. Keeping in view that the monsoon has already set in, this court apprehends that the prevailing situation may lead to the risk of an epidemic," observed the bench of...