VIJAYAWADA: Holding the State government responsible for sand shortage, TDP leaders and cadre staged demonstrations across the State on Friday. Apart from raising slogans denouncing the government for “creating a scarcity of sand and playing havoc with lakhs of workers depending on construction sector”, the TDP leaders organised novel protests by selling sand more than the price of cement.
Terming the protest as an indication that people are vexed with the government, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu said that the credit of facing people’s opposition within three months of forming the government goes to the YSRC. Alleging that the price of sand increased by 10 times in the past three months and crossed the price of cement, he sought to know the reasons for the spiralling sand prices despite continuing the old policy.
“Where is all that money is going? Is it not into the pockets of YSRC MLAs? After bringing 20 Bills, why did the government fail to introduce a new sand policy during the budget session? Was the delay not for emptying the pockets of the common man to fill the pockets of YSRC leaders?’’ Naidu questioned. TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh said under the YSRC regime, the sand price was more than cement price, which has not happened anywhere in the world.
Refuting the charges, Minister for Municipal Administration Botcha Satyanarayana said TDP leaders had been treating sand as a revenue source and now with the State government bringing in a transparent sand policy, those leaders were worried and resorted to protest.