Worst is not yet over: CM KCR

Hyderabad: The worst is not yet over. There is a need for people to strictly follow all the health protocols and play effective role in overcoming the crisis.

The Government on its part is fully geared up to meet even the worst situation but unless people extend full cooperation and strictly follow the lockdown, it would become difficult to chase the deadly virus out of the State, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said on Friday.

Addressing people, the Chief Minister said that the Government of India has taken certain very good decisions and has assured the state of all possible assistance and handholding during the crisis period.

Telangana, he said, has been able to keep the situation under control so far and if we show the same spirit in the next couple of weeks, there is every possibility of entering safe zone, he felt. Stating that 10 cases were registered on Friday, the CM said that no one should think that nothing will happen to me.

They should continue to maintain social distance. Explaining the measures, the State Government had taken, he said it was ready to provide medical aid to over 60,000 patients.

The government has roped in retired professors and medical students and utilise their services to meet the challenge. About 11,000 isolation beds and 1,400 ICU beds are being made ready for providing treatment to all patients.

All these facilities at Gachibowli stadium and King Koti hospital will be ready in four or five days. Nearly 500 ventilators were being made available to provide treatment to the patients in critical conditions. Additional medical staff of 14,000 are ready to serve, he said.

The government proposes at optimum utilisation of the medical labs and other medical facilities owned by the state. Private agencies mainly corporate hospitals and diagnostic centres will not be allowed to conduct medical tests.

CM KCR reminded that the Telangana, which was under shutdown till March 31, would follow PM Modi's lockdown till April 14.

Since the rabi season is at its fag end and it is time for famers to harvest their crop, the Irrigation department has been asked to supply water to protect the standing crops under Kaleshwaram, SRSP, Jurala project and other projects until April 10.

Agricultural produce mainly paddy will be purchased from farmers at their doorsteps by providing MSP. All the government schools will be used as gowdowns and the purchased foodgrains will be stocked. Cheques will be also given at the purchase centres to the farmers immediately.

For students from other States, the government was making all arrangements to see that they do not face any problem regarding food and shelter.

Similarly, special arrangements would be made for supply of food to the workers who migrated to Hyderabad from Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and other States.

KCR also appealed to people to consume stable food mainly chicken, eggs and citrus fruits to improve their immunity. All the citrus fruits grown in the state will be used for locals only.

He instructed officials to stop exporting the local variety of oranges grown predominantly in old Nalgonda district and shift the stocks to the local markets.