VIJAYAWADA: Telugu Desam MLC P Ashok Babu on Tuesday demanded that the YSR Congress government announce a people-friendly sand policy to prevent the state economy from slipping into a deeper crisis, and create confidence among the builders and construction workers.
He asked why chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy was not able to sacrifice just Rs. 750crore in revenue as the sand tax, when a free sand policy would revive thousands of crores worth of construction industry and benefit lakhs of construction workers, plumbers, electricians, painters and all others who depended on this sector.
Addressing a press conference here, Ashok Babu said not just the realtors and developers, even the masons and workers were badly hit. “The YSRC policy on sand mining has raised construction cost by 30 to 35 per cent. Workers say they are not able to take enough money home now. Liquor costing Rs. 60 to Rs.70 in the past is now priced at Rs.150 to Rs. 200. The sand crisis has hit all…