Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president N. Chandrababu Naidu has alleged that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders are behind the sand mafia which has earned ₹40,000 crore by excavating minor minerals and selling them in violation of norms despite a stay imposed by National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the same being upheld by Supreme Court.
Mr. Naidu, while addressing the media at the TDP office near Mangalagiri on August 25 (Friday), alleged that the mafia had the tacit support of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and that the ruling party MLAs had become the ‘wholesale dealers’ (of sand).
Claiming that he had documentary evidence in support of his allegations, the former Chief Minister demanded that Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy should give an explanation within 48 hours, after which he would announce the future course of action on exposing the scandal.
Mr. Naidu said that though there were 110 sanctioned sand reaches in the State, mining was continuing unabated from more than 500 illegal ones. “Around 40 crore tonnes of sand has been excavated illegally and sold in blocks in the four-and-half years tenure of the YSRCP government at ₹1,000 per tonne.
He demanded that the YSRCP government furnish the information pertaining to the revenue generated from the sale of sand and the GST paid on it, the number of stock points and the stock position and the number of sand reaches which obtained the Environmental Clearances (ECs).
More than 40 lakh construction workers have lost livelihood after Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy cancelled the free sand policy that was implemented during the TDP’s tenure, the TDP president said.
Mr. Naidu said the YSRCP government had first entrusted the sand mining activity to Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation and then handed it over to Jaiprakash Power Ventures Limited (JPVL) which had no experience in the excavation and sale of sand.
He pointed out that the agreement signed with the JPVL, under which the price of sand was fixed at ₹475 per tonne (JPVL to pay ₹375 to the government and take the balance) expired on May 2, 2023, and that YSRCP leaders had been restoring to illegal sand mining in collusion with some government officials.
NGT stay
“The stay imposed by the NGT, especially on mechanised mining, and the apex court’s refusal to override the NGT order which was applicable to sand reaches throughout the State vindicated the TDP’s stand that sand mining had become a fountainhead of corruption in the State,” Mr. Naidu said.
