TDP National General Secretary Nara Lokesh has blamed the Jaganmohan Reddy’s new sand policy for the misery and suicides of construction workers while, on the other hand, the overall construction industry has collapsed in the state. He deplored that the problems of construction workers began ever since the YSR Congress Party came to power. In the name of new sand policy, a severe crisis was created for four precious months which led to over 60 workers committing suicides due to lack of work and earnings to lead their daily lives.

In a letter addressed to Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy here, Mr. Lokesh expressed concern that the new policy has only crippled the construction industry while the ruling YCP leaders have amassed hundreds of crores of illegal money taking advantage of the new sand regulations. The best example of YCP sand mafia was how loose soil was supplied instead of sand for the house construction of a ruling party Minister himself in East Godavari district recently.

Mr. Lokesh said that the YCP leaders were perpetrating their sand mafia activities under the cover of stock yards. Officials were hand in glove with the ruling party leaders in this daylight plundering. The Government has made bold statements that it would not tolerate sand mafia activities but did not take action for reasons well known to all.

The TDP MLC recalled how Kerala state was creating all facilities to rescue construction workers there from Coronavirus impact. Whereas, in Andhra Pradesh, the workers were given just the Central assistance while the State Government has not given a single rupee. The AP Government should immediately form a welfare board with the workers’ leaders. It should also release a white paper on the cess collections made from the workers.