YSRCP MLA attributes sand shortage to floods in river Krishna

Senior Yuvajana Sramika Rythu (YSR) Congress Party leader and MLA Ambati Rambabu on Saturday, attributing to the shortage to floods, admitted that there has been a scarcity of sand in the Krishna river basin. While addressing a press conference, Rambabu said, "There were floods in the Krishna river after 14 years; silt is also there. Sand mining is not congenial due to floods. Once the floodwaters recede, there will be the possibility of providing an adequate amount of sand to people." 

Recalling NGT's decision

Recalling the National Green Tribunal's (NGT) decision to penalise TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu's government with Rs 100 crore for plundering the sand reaches, Rambabu said that the Andhra Pradesh government had decided to speed up issuance of government orders so that there is no red-tapism.

Read: Narak Chaturdashi: The story of Lord Krishna & Goddess Kaali's triumph

TDP accuses AP government of encouraging sand mafia

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Saturday put forth a demand that the state government should pay a compensation of Rs 10,000 to all the construction workers protesting the shortage of sand in the state. Along with it, in a press note released by the TDP, the party's state president K Kala Venkata Rao has alleged that the state government of cancelling the free sand policy in the state. The statement also alleged that the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government's move has encouraged sand mafia which has left around 30 lakh workers with no work. Referring to it, Rambabu said that it was unacceptable of the TDP Chief to blame the sand policy of the government for the shortage. Speaking about the new policy, he said that the new policy envisages a ban on mechanised mining and only allows manual sand mining. 

Read: TDP accuses AP govt of encouraging sand mafia, demands compensation

On Pawan Kalyan's remark

The Jana Sena Party chief and popular Tollywood actor Pawan Kalyan on Saturday said that lakhs of workers are suffering as they have no work due to sand shortage in the state. Countering, the YSRCP MLA said that everybody knows that cases were foisted against Reddy only because he had fought against the then Congress government at the Centre and formed his own party. During the press conference, he further added, "It is no wonder that the people have given him a clear mandate by giving him 80 per cent of the seats and 50 per cent of votes. Pawan Kalyan should stop criticising the government which is striving for the welfare of the people."

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Read: MPDO accuses YSRCP MLA of harassment, threatening her family

(WITH ANI INPUTS)