AMRAVATI (AP) : Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy objected to the baseless reports published by a section of media and said that they were written with jealousy, as the State is being applauded for effectively controlling Covid-19.

During a review meeting on Covid here on Monday, the Chief Minister said that the stories were written in  such a way to create panic among the people and stated that legal action must be taken on the two media houses. He said that a publication had highlighted that patients died due to lack of oxygen in Ashram Hospital, but in reality medical oxygen is abundant in the state.
The articles are completely baseless, written with a mischievous mindset, without any humanity. He said that people would have believed it if this was written during peak situations, but now the cases were declining, registering an average positivity rate of less than five percent. In the current scenario, over 70 percent oxygen beds and ventilators are available in the state.

Officials informed the Chief Minister that 750 tonnes of medical oxygen was used when Covid was at its peak and now the daily usage has come down to just 180 tonnes. All the oxygen allocations given to the State are being stored at Visakhapatnam steel plant and can be used when required. The Chief Minister questioned how there would  be a shortage of oxygen when the production is surplus in State.

On this occasion, the Chief Minister also criticised a media house for writing an article misquoting him. He said that the post of Chief Minister is being devalued and degraded by such writings. While the government is seriously conducting review meetings, such media houses are making fun as if the officials are attending the review for timepass.

He said that the state has a good reputation in dealing with Covid, by successfully controlling it, which was possible only because of the efforts put by all the officers and staff by working together relentlessly. Starting from the village level to State level, it was made possible by the ANM, volunteers, collectors, district and zonal officers, and medical staff. The officials said that legal action will be taken against the two media houses for defaming the government.