Sand Scarcity: Jagan blames it on floods

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy attributed the severe shortage of sand that led to the suicide of three out of the work construction workers to floods. Trashing the allegations of the opposition on his new sand policy he said that sand could not be drawn due to floods in river beds.

The Chief Minister during a review meeting here on Tuesday said ‘we can proudly say that we have been able to get rid of the corruption from the sand mining.’ He called for a ‘sand weekend’ and instructed the officials to work on the sand issue for the next week. In the past, the system was run by grave corruption and now, the government is undoing the damage.

Despite the government efforts to tackle the sand crisis, the Chief Minister said that ‘The opposition Telugu Desam Party is making unnecessary allegations.’ He ordered the officials to make sure that under any circumstances sand should not be sent to other states and border areas with Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Karnataka should be monitored, he instructed the Director-General of Police.

On the issue of construction workers, the Chief Minister said that about 70 sand reaches have been identified at lakes, bunds during floods. Anyone can collect sand from local resources and carry it in one tractor up to 20 km informing Village Secretariat, he said.

Those who require work can get at sand reaches through the village secretariat, the Chief Minister said and asked the district collectors to monitor. ‘By this, there will be no issue of ‘unable to find works’ he said and instructed the officials to give works at reaches to those who ask till the floods subside.

He said that despite 267 reaches in the state, due to floods, sand is being supplied only from 60 reaches. ‘Now, it is November and floods will subside soon,” he said. Till then he ordered the officials to immediately commence operations at 70 identified sand reaches in the lakes, streams and small rivers.