Loss of work because of slump in the construction sector due to sand scarcity has driven three workers to suicide in Andhra Pradesh in the last one week.
All the incidents were reported from areas in and around Amaravati. In the latest incident, a plumber killed self as he was depressed due to financial problems.
In a selfie video recorded before suicide, Polepalli Venkatesh, a daily wager, said he was without work for four months. Venkatesh said as he had no other source of livelihood, he was taking the extreme step. He hanged self three days ago, but the selfie video surfaced on Monday.
Venkatesh’s wife Raashi said he was depressed as their one-year-old son was sick and they were unable to provide him proper treatment.
Earlier, Naga Brahmaji of Tenali and Venkata Rao of Mangalagiri had committed suicide.
The construction sector in the state is facing scarcity of sand due to a change in the policy by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government. Initially, it banned sand mining, on the ground that the previous Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government had granted mining permissions to people close to it.
Later, it scrapped the ‘free sand policy’ and brought a new policy last month, promising sand at low cost from government-owned stockyards.
But the change in the policy led to shortage of sand. Also, the uncertainty over future of Amaravati has brought construction activity in and around to near standstill.
Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy attributed sand shortage to floods and assured that things would be set right in few days.
The opposition parties, however, slammed the government for pushing thousands of construction workers into depression.
Leader of opposition and TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu appealed workers against suicide and assured them his party would stand by them. The government should pay financial assistance to workers out of work for months due to the wrong policies.
Expressing shock over suicides, Jana Sena chief and actor Pawan Kalyan sought the Centre’s intervention to help over 30 lakh people dependent on the construction sector. The Jana Sena plans to hold a rally in Visakhapatnam on November 3.
“I appeal to the Centre to come to the rescue of construction workers. The AP government’s chaotic sand policy has put thousands of workers out of job and their families in a state of misery,” said Kalyan.
