HYDERABAD: Expressing concern over the rising number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the State, TPCC president and Nalgonda MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy claimed that Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s inefficacy was responsible for the COVID crisis in the State.
Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan in Hyderabad on Saturday, along with TPCC working presidents Ponnam Prabhakar and Kusum Kumar, vice-president Mallu Ravi, and AICC spokesperson Dasoju Sravan, Uttam alleged that the government has failed to contain the virus spread.
“It’s been over three months since the outbreak and the government hasn’t taken adequate measures to handle the crisis in an effective manner. Things are so bad that there are no beds to treat patients. The State also flouted guidelines meant to be followed while tracing, testing and treating COVID patients,” Uttam said, adding that there was only one COVID-19 hospital (Gandhi Hospital) for nearly 4 crore people of Telangana.
Demanding that all the frontline workers, including doctors, paramedical staff, police personnel, sanitation workers and journalists be paid an ex gratia of Rs 50 lakh if they die of COVID, Uttam said that poor families that fall prey to COVID must also be compensated. He announced that the Congress leaders would address press meets on June 30 in all Assembly constituencies to expose the ‘failure’ of the TRS-led government in handling the situation.