Telugu Desam Party national president and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has urged Chief Minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy to take steps for enhancing coronavirus testing capabilities in order to contain the fast-spreading infection in the State.
In a letter to Mr. Jagan, Mr. Naidu drew the former’s attention to the sudden spurt in positive cases in the State and this was mainly due to poor testing with just four labs in Andhra Pradesh as against 23 in Maharashtra, 17 in Tamil Nadu, 15 in Telangana, 15 in Delhi and 12 in Kerala.
Stating that COVID-19 is a dangerously contagious and fatal infection, Mr. Naidu urged the CM to study steps being taken in other countries and States for their replication in AP so that grave danger could be avoided to the lives of people in the coming weeks. Identification and segregation of infected persons is very crucial to prevent the spread of the virus, he added.
Mr. Naidu asked the government not to suppress the facts with regard to COVID-19 cases as such a step would prove counter-productive.
Lakhs of farm hands, unorganised sector workers, toddy tappers, fishermen, artisans and SCs/STs were literally starving as they were not finding work due to the lockdown. The Central government had announced a ₹ 1.75-lakh- crore package and had asked the States to take up one-time distribution of three months ration and three months pensions to poor people.
‘Reopen Anna canteens’
Pointing out that Telangana opened GHMC Annapurna Canteens in Hyderabad, Mr. Naidu demanded re-opening of Anna canteens in the State in order to provide nutritious food to poor workers. He termed the government’s decision to cut salaries of employees or defer them unwarranted. Demotivating employees in these difficult times was not advisable.
It was unfortunate that ration shops were witnessing huge rush even in areas which are declared red zones. Personal protective equipment (PPEs) should be provided to doctors, health workers, police, sanitation workers, media persons and those distributing ration, he demanded.
