YSRC MLAs violating lockdown with impunity: Naidu

Vijayawada: Telugu Desam Party supremo N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said that though the nationwide lockdown had effectively checked the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the country, personal hygiene and cleanliness are key to eradicating the killer virus.

He conducted a video conference with senior leaders and party in-charges and gave a call for continuing service activities regardless of being in power or not.

Greater awareness should be created among the people on effective preventive measures to tide over this crisis, he said.

The TDP leader alleged that ruling YSR Congress MLAs from Srikalahasti, Macherla and Kanigiri violated lockdown norms with impunity.

They further alleged that the failure of the state government to take timely preventive measures was the cause for the swift spread of Covid-19. They claimed that government health bulletin on April 14 reflected shortage of doctors and health workers in districts where more cases were reported.

Unfortunately, 58 per cent of the state's total 4,779 doctors and 16,481 paramedical staff were shown in records as working in Visakhapatnam alone in this virus crisis, they alleged.

Few other TDP leaders further alleged that official records showed only eight doctors and six nurses working in Kadapa despite the fact that it has reported 31 cases.

“Kurnool has 91 cases but there are only 50 doctors and 50 medical staff. In Guntur, which has 109 cases, only 88 doctors and 271 nurses and paramedical staff were shown as working. Nellore has 56 cases but it has 45 doctors and 90 medical staff.  Prakasam district, with 42 cases, has 72 doctors and 182 staff. Whereas, in Visakhapatnam, which has only 20 cases, 2,771 doctors and 9,624 medical staff were shown as working. There are 382 doctors and 1,186 staff in Vizianagaram and 207 doctors and 378 staff in Srikakulam,” they said.