Vijayawada: YSRCP leader and former MLA Malladi Vishnu said here on Tuesday that sand has become gold after the NDA government was formed in the state. “For the namesake, the sand is free but huge amounts are collected right from the stock point and the transport charges,” he alleged.
Addressing the media, Malladi Vishnu said that the previous government used to get revenue of Rs 3,000 crore through the sale of sand. Now the sand has become the source of income right from the MPs and the MLAs to the ordinary party worker, he alleged. The shortage of sand has been affecting the one lakh construction workers in addition to the workers of 36 other trades.
People used to get a tractor load of sand for Rs 5,000 which is now costing Rs 20,000. Sand exploitation is rampant in Tiruvuru, Nandigama, Jaggayyapet, Penamaluru, Vuyyuru, Pamarru and Avanigadda constituencies. Several thousands of tonnes of sand was being shifted to Hyderabad without any hindrance.
Vishnu said that it was not proper on the part of the officials not to respond to the news published in various newspapers that at least 15 to 20 truckloads of sand was illegally transported to Telangana every day. The issue was not discussed in the district collectors’ meet, he deplored. There was 12 lakh tonnes of sand at the stock points by the time NDA assumed charge in the state. Immediately after NDA took charge, six lakh tonnes of sand disappeared from the stock points and three lakh more tonnes had become unaccountable. The TDP leaders are personally calling for tenders for the sand reaches and excavating sand.
The tall claim of the NDA government to control the sand mafia with drone technology was a non-starter, he said. Drones are used more to track the gamblers rather than the sand mafia, he said.
Malladi Vishnu suggested setting up a high power check-post on AP-Telangana border and the officials of all departments should be present there to check illegal sand transportation.
He demanded a thorough probe into the illegal sand transportation all these months and action against the persons responsible for the same.
