Increasing Covid testing in Telangana

Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan’s remarks that not much testing of patients for Covid-19 is being done in the state should serve as a wake-up call for the administration and prod it to reset its priorities. Just a few days ago, the Telangana High Court had expressed satisfaction over the K Chandrashekar Rao government’s proactive role in combating the pandemic, though it had hauled it up on several counts and issued stinging orders for corrective measures over the last few weeks.

But Governor Soundararajan, who is a medical practitioner by training, had a different take. In her recent interaction with a few news channels, she expressed her anguish and displeasure over the manner in which the entire pandemic situation is being handled in Telangana, adding she was primarily concerned about the poor testing rate. In fact, the state government had given an undertaking to the High Court that it will conduct nearly 40,000 tests each day and ramp up the processing capacity of laboratories.

Yet, the average daily testing is yet to cross 23,000—a little over half the self-set target. Politics apart, the Governor, as the constitutional head of the state, has the right to seek information from the chief minister and his council of ministers. And under Article 167 of the Constitution, they are obliged to comply. There is no need for the government to get all worked up over her remarks, which seems to be the case now.

That the Governor had discussed testing with the chief minister and officials weeks before making the sharp comments indicates she is dissatisfied with the progress. Earlier, the High Court, the media and the opposition had pilloried the government on its poor testing record, comparing it with neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, which is less equipped than Telangana but doing very well on mass testing.

The Governor was right in pointing out that testing, tracking and treating of patients should get priority. As for the opposition, it is trying to exploit her caustic remarks by demanding the resignation of the chief minister and the imposition of President’s rule. They ought to realise this is not the time for petty politics.