We are in the middle of a Pandemic, situation is scary in India with over 2.7 Lakh cases in the past 24 hours. Telangana Government is misleading the people by grossly underreporting the number of cases which is making people complacent. This has been revealed in a sting operation by the Indian Express.
The sting operation in thirteen districts has revealed that the Government has hidden the numbers by 66% in its official COVID bulletin. According to the report, the total number of cases reported on April 17 were as high as 4,868. But when the number of cases in the same districts as reported in the media bulletin were added, the cumulative figure was just 1,627.
The actual number is arrived according to the reports sent by District Health Medical Officers (DHMO) to the State Government where the numbers are fudged. The DHMOs of the remaining districts were gaged not to reveal the reports to the media. The number of deaths the state is reporting on a daily basis is in complete contrast to the scenes at various burial grounds in the state.
Transparency is key for any government in the middle of a Pandemic. The actual numbers will create a fear factor in the people and prompt people to be more careful. But now with the Government fudging the numbers, people are comparing them with states like Maharashtra and feeling themselves secure.
Telangana Government has come under similar criticism in the first wave. Things did not change even now when situation is much more dangerous. Telangana is the state with least number of restrictions even as neighboring states have imposed stringent rules to confine people to be careful.
Courtesy: The New Indian Express
