The new sand policy adopted by Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has kicked up a storm. Under the new policy, the Jagan sarkar took over all aspects of sand mining, including its supply, with the AP Mineral Development Corporation as the nodal agency. Former chief minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu often made a scathing attack on the ruling YSRCP saying it had created artificial sand scarcity during the last five months, which had adversely affected the livelihood of those who relied on the construction sector.
Sand supply has become a source of concern for YSRCP leaders too. The YSRCP leaders seem to be mighty displeased over Jagan’s sand policy and coming out in the open to criticise the same. Vinukonda YSRCP MLA Bolla Brahma Naidu dropped a bombshell on the ruling dispensation saying the sand mafia is operating rampantly in Andhra Pradesh and he is finding to get even a handful of sand in his own constituency Vinukonda which is close to the Krishna River. Another YSRCP MLA Kileru Rosaiah bemoaned that the sand was not reaching stock points, while Kothapet YSRCP legislator Jaggi Reddy slammed the APMDC saying it had miserably failed to supply sand to everyone. Further, he said the APMDC has failed to take steps to ensure transparency in sales and transportation of sand.
Panchayat raj, mines and geology minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy assured 70 lakh tonne sand would be stored at the stock points in the rainy season. The minister also said the state government had given powers to the joint collectors to review the sand supplies and stocks with the officials in their respective districts. However, some players are making bulk bookings from the AP Mineral Development Corporation and reselling the sand in the market illegally. Jaggi Reddy found fault with the online sale of sand. He said the moment one attempts to book sand through online, the sales seem to be over in five minutes. “How is this possible? There should be transparency in the sale and supply of sand,” Jagga Reddy said.
The YSRCP leaders seem to have raised genuine concerns over the sale of sand, something that Naidu always pointed out. The Jagan government had cancelled the free sand policy in the state, a move to encourage the sand mafia which has left lakhs of construction workers with no work. “Sand scarcity in Andhra Pradesh was created by a sand mafia which was active with the full support of Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.“The man-made scarcity of sand has brought the construction activity in the state to a halt. Lokesh said several workers committed suicide as they were not finding the work in the absence of construction activity,” Naidu had often stated.
