VIJAYAWADA: As the Opposition intensified its attack over sand shortage in the State, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday said stringent action, including handing out a two-year jail term, would be taken against anyone who sells sand at a rate higher than that fixed by the government.
"Announce rate cards constituency-wise... decide the rates in a day or two. If anyone is found selling sand at a higher rate, he would face not only hefty penalty but also two-year jail term. We will get cabinet approval for this on Wednesday," the Chief Minister told officials at a video conference with officials on the Spandana programme.
Pointing out that earlier the demand for sand was around 80,000 tonnes on an average, he said the government could not meet the same due to the recent floods as several sand reaches were inundated.
However, the situation has improved in the last one week. "Now the average demand is around 1.2 lakh tonnes. The number of sand reaches has also increased from 60 to 90. Try to increase supply to two lakh tonnes in the next one week," he instructed the officials.
The State government will be organising 'sand supply week' from November 14 to 21 in an aggressive bid to solve the crisis triggered by sand shortage.
Stressing the measures that needed to be taken during the week, Jagan wanted stock points to be expanded from 137 to 180 by the end of the supply week and directed joint collectors to shoulder the responsibility.
He was categorical when he said none should take leave until the sand shortage issue was resolved for good. "Staff involved in excavation and selling of sand should not take leaves. Set up check posts in both minor and major routes complete with CCTV surveillance, he said.
Meanwhile at a press conference later in the day, Mines Minister Peddi Reddi Ramachandra Reddy tore into TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan for levelling 'baseless' allegations against the government.
"It is shameful that Chandrababu Naidu is trying to gain political mileage even after sand availability has increased in the State. It is strange that Chandrababu's son Lokesh and adopted son Pawan are levelling allegations," he said.
Alleging that sand was plundered during the TDP regime, he remarked that it was one of the main reasons for Chandrababu's electoral debacle. Asserting that the State government was implementing sand policy sans corruption, he pointed out that the recent floods had triggered sand shortage.
"Till now, 1.24 lakh tonnes of sand was supplied. Now, sand is available for all in the State. We will open more stock points during the sand week from Nov 24 to 21. Besides deputing a DG rank officer to check sand smuggling, we will set up 150-200 check-posts. CCTV surveillance will be 24/7 and sand rate will be decided depending on the conditions in each constituency," he said.
At the same presser, the minister played a video of a Pawan Kalyan's speech in which the latter accuses the then TDP government of looting the State by plundering sand -- to buttress his point that all was not well under Naidu government.