Sand scarcity in Andhra: Jana Sena Party to march against State Govt

Jana Sena Party of Andhra Pradesh is organising a 'Long March' against the State's ruling YSR Congress Party government. The march is being organised over the issue of sand scarcity in the region.

The protest will begin from Telugu Talli statue at Maddilapalem Junction and will head towards Rama Talkies, Asilmetta, RTC Complex, GVMC building, concluding at the Gandhi statue. The Jana Sena party founder and President Pawan Kalyan will also address the gathering. The Jana Sena party president has also extended an invitation to other parties like CPI, BJP, and TDP to join the protest. Out of all the parties, the TDP has extended its support and has assured that it will send representatives from the party to the protest.

READ | Naidu: AP govt sells sand to other states creating artificial scarcity

YSRCP reacts

Reacting to the march by the Jana Sena party, Agriculture Minister Kurasala Kannababu and Irrigation Minister Anil Kumar from the ruling YSRCP had criticised the 'Long March' on Saturday.

While addressing the media, the State's Agriculture Minister said, "Opposition parties are politicising the matter of sand scarcity. All the rivers in the State are overflowing and all projects are flooded with water. In such conditions, it is highly difficult to mine sand from the river which has led to the scarcity of sand." He further alleged Pawan Kalyan of doing politics on the directions of TDP, Kannababu said that only Chandrababu Naidu's party TDP was joining the march and also stated that the Jana Sena had never questioned the previous regime on the issue.

READ | BJP's Vishnu Reddy calls for change in sand mining policy of AP govt

CM's effort to evade sand crisis

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister on October 29 held a review meeting to discuss the 'sand shortage' in the State. According to sources, he instructed the officials to make sure that sand is not sold to other states “under any circumstances”, and asked the areas that border Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Karnataka to be monitored. The CM also assured people that all necessary steps are being taken to tackle the sand shortage. He also dismissed the comments made by opposition parties as "false".

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READ | YSRCP MLA attributes the sand shortage to floods in river Krishna

(With inputs from ANI)