The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has squarely blamed the State government for the record rise in the coronavirus cases in Andhra Pradesh as it accounted for seven of the country’s 15 worst-hit districts. The government’s ‘indifferent attitude and negligence’ has led to a total loss of control as A.P. now recorded one lakh cases in just 10 days while its first one lakh cases took nearly 138 days, he said.
Interacting with party people’s representatives and senior leaders via a video-conference on Tuesday, he said that over 13% of the country’s current infections were being reported in A.P. It indicated the alarming rate at which coronavirus was spreading in the State. The complacency of the government had put the people’s health in serious risk. The patients discharged from quarantine centres were not being given ₹2,000 promised by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, he said, adding, “It is an unpardonable crime that the Chief Minister himself is not wearing any face mask even as a mark of sending a good message to the public. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the CMs of neighbouring States are wearing masks.”
Mr. Naidu expressed concern over the wastage of 30% oxygen due to a lack of proper supervision at hospitals. There was abnormal delay in supply of oxygen cylinders at COVID hospitals. Reports in the media indicated how ventilators were not being fitted in the ICUs to give proper treatment to patients. The government was not fulfilling its promise to give ₹15,000 for conducting the last rites to COVID-19 victims. Not a single rupee was paid towards the promised ₹50 lakh compensation to the kin of COVID frontline martyrs, he alleged.
Heavy loss
Referring to the State finances, the former Chief Minister said that Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy and his Cabinet colleagues were acting in an irresponsible manner. As per an estimate, A.P. would suffer a loss of ₹2.53 lakh crore in GSDP this year, while the combined loss for A.P. and Telangana would be ₹5 lakh crore.
Just for an increase of 0.25% in borrowing limit under the FRBM Act, the government was taking anti-farmers policies. Apart from fixing meters for agricultural connections, the government was planning to do away with free power, which they won after 40 years of agitation. The TDP along with other opposition parties and farmers’ associations would oppose the move. Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s rule was destroying the electricity system which the TDP had built very strongly with the help of positive reforms, he added.