Chandrababu Naidu slams Andhra govt over 'artificial sand scarcity'

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday criticised the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led Andhra Pradesh government over the sand policy and said that the YSRCP government is selling sand to other states and creating artificial scarcity.

"Today sand mafia is ruling the roost in Andhra Pradesh. Almost 30 lakh building construction workers are suffering badly. But the government is not at all responding. This is a violation of human rights. YSRCP leaders are looting sand and their leader is turning a blind eye. As of now, five persons committed suicides, and the government is irresponsibly making comments on them," Naidu said here.

Naidu also introduced family members of those, who allegedly committed suicide.

"All these families struggle for livelihood. These families came on to roads after the suicides of bread earners. This is YSRCP government's negligence, inability and highhandedness. Government citing flooding waters as the reason for sand scarcity. It is absurd. Even if the government sits idle, sand would have been available. But the government is selling sand to other states and creating artificial scarcity. The government must bring back the free sand policy that was introduced by our government," Naidu said.

Naidu has demanded the government to pay Rs 25 lakh compensation to the families of bereaved.

"TDP will pay Rs 1 lakh each to these families," Naidu said.

"Pawan Kalyan of JSP announced long march against this issue. He asked for our support. We extend our support. Our senior leaders will take part in that march," he said.