Sand scarcity: Ministers Mopidevi Venkataramana, Botcha Satyanarayana face workers’ anger

VIJAYAWADA: At a time when the Opposition parties intensified their protests against the government for its alleged failure to supply sand, two State ministers — Municipal Administration Minister Botcha Satyanarayana and Marketing Minister Mopidevi Venkataramana — faced some embarrassing moments on Saturday when construction workers gheraoed and questioned them during their visit to Guntur.  

Meanwhile, Jana Sena Party activists staged a protest in front of the residence of Tourism Minister Avanthi Srinivas in Visakhapatnam.

The two ministers went to Patnam Bazar in Guntur to inspect the underground drainage works. A group of construction workers, including women, poured out their woes due to sand scarcity before the ministers and urged them to resolve the issue. Explaining their plight, the workers said scarcity of sand has brought the construction activity to a grinding halt and they lost their livelihood for the last four months. Demanding that the government take immediate measures to address the issue, they sought financial assistance to construction workers. Satyanarayana said though the government came up with a new policy to ensure transparency in mining and supply of sand, rains and floods were hampering the supply of adequate quantity of sand.

Meanwhile, Srinivas felt the heat of agitation held by Jana Sena activists in front of his house in Visakhapatnam city.

Earlier, Jana Sena activists and construction workers took out a rally from Alluri Sitarama Raju statue to the minister’s house in Seethammadhara. The protesting workers raised slogans demanding a solution to the issue and denouncing the government “inaction”. They later submitted a memorandum to the minister seeking immediate steps to ensure sand supply. Saying that the construction workers are being misled by the Opposition parties, the minister said the government will improve the sand supply soon.

Jana Sena leader Pasupuleti Usha Kiran called upon all construction workers to participate in the long march to be conducted by Pawan Kalyan in the city on November 3.

Naidu expresses shock over suicide of workers
Expressing shock over the alleged suicide of two masons, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu has alleged that the YSRC government was working in the direction of filling the pockets of the ruling party leaders instead of taking measures to end sand scarcity.

“Suicide of masons Brahmaji and Venkata Rao on the eve of Deepavai festival shocked me. Life is more valuable. Suicides are not at all a solution for the problem. Don’t take such hasty decisions. The TDP and myself will be with you and let us continue the fight against the negligent YSRC government and irregularities in sand supply,’’ Naidu tweeted

Residents foil illegal sand transportation
KAKINADA: Locals and construction workers foiled illegal transportation of sand in Kakinada rural limits on Saturday. They blocked tractors carrying sand and informed Kakinada Town police. Sub-inspector Rammohan Reddy said 22 tractors carrying sand were seized. He also said they have no official papers to transport sand.  

When contacted, Mines and Geology department Deputy Director KLV Prasad said that the matter has not come to his notice. Sources said illegal sand is being sold at Rs 7,500 per unit in East Godavari district