‘Need Plan-B for checking COVID-19 post April 14’

Governments should utilise technology and involve people, says Ch. Vidyasagar Rao

March 30, 2020 08:00 pm | Updated 09:09 pm IST - HYDERABAD

Ch. Vidyasagar Rao.

Ch. Vidyasagar Rao.

Senior BJP leader and former Governor of Maharashtra Ch. Vidyasagar Rao has underlined the need for the State and Central governments to prepare action plans for tackling the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) after April 14, the time by which the impact of the virus is expected to recede significantly.

Decentralisation should be the focus area in the measures that should be taken up post-April 14. The governments should utilize technology as well as medical, paramedical and technical staff to reach out the services to the grass root level. Mr. Vidyasagar Rao appreciated the steps initiated by the State and Central governments keeping the departments on the alert amid doubts about the containment of the coronavirus.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao assessed the performance of the departments of their respective governments and succeeded in instilling confidence among the people that there was no need for panic. “There is, however, a need for preparing a Plan B as part of which precautionary measures should reach the grass root level on a continuous basis,” he said.

Accordingly, comprehensive plans should be evolved cutting across caste, religion and regional lines and they should be implemented by making people as partners. There was no doubt adequate awareness created among the people through mass media, but efforts should be made to rope in NGOs, technical staff, professionals in medical and related professions for continuing the work. “Depending on the government alone will not be proper,” he said.

Mr. Vidyasagar Rao was particularly appreciative of the rural areas which initiated self-control measures without waiting for the governments’ instructions. The spirit of self-governance and self-reliance became evident in all the villages ever since the news about coronavirus outbreak broke. “Over 60 % of the villages evolved their own self-governance mechanism and stood as examples to the world,” he said.

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