YCP sand policy triggered all round corruption: Somireddy
Rs 20 Cr of sand going illegally to other Metros daily
AMARAVATI: TDP former minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy on Tuesday strongly criticised the Chief Minister and his Ministers for making totally ‘wrong claims’ on the implementation and merits of their sand policy in the State.
Chandramohan Reddy said the common public were not able to get sand at Rs. 475 per tonne at the sand reaches as per the Government’s claims. Gross irregularities were taking place even as hundreds of lorries were illegally transporting Rs. 20 Cr worth sand to Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad everyday. All this money was going into the pockets of the ruling YSRCP.
Addressing a press conference here, the TDP leader said countless irregularities were taking place ever since the Government gave the sand mining contract to the JP company with an ulterior motive. In a shameless manner, the Government was giving advertisements saying that there were no irregularities in sand policy. If Jagan Reddy was devoted to public service, he should at least bring in the ‘free sand’ policy as his ‘birthday gift’ to the people of AP.
Chandramohan Reddy said the poorer sections were suffering more because of the Jagan Reddy sand policy while the rich people were somehow managing to get sand. Even for buying a lorry of sand, the public was being forced to get permission from the YCP MLA office.
The TDP leader asked how the Government could claim that not a single rupee was being collected above the fixed rate of Rs. 475 sand per tonne. The Government itself provided information under RTI on November 15 that the rates were Rs. 1,075 at Vinukonda, Rs. 980 at Chilakaluripeta, Rs. 920 at Chodavaram, Rs. 930 at Tadepalligudem, Rs. 1,290 at Markapuram and Rs. 880 at Tanuku.
Chandramohan Reddy said irregularities took place in the supply of 3.67 crore tonnes to the Government scheme to construct 15.6 lakh houses. It involved Rs. 1,472 Cr worth sand. There was no official accountability for Rs. 700 Cr of this. Contract was given to JP for Rs. 765 Cr. But thousands of crores worth of sand was being diverted and mismanaged without any check.
The TDP leader criticised the Government for giving away Rs. 570 Cr worth of sand dredged from the Krishna river to JP only. Actually, the irrigation department was spending money for dredging. By the time the JP company took over, there was Rs. 10 Cr worth of sand pending for supply towards payments already made. Another Rs. 70 Cr worth of sand was available at the stock points. Now, there were no accounts for all these.
