Chittoor facing a shortage of sand

Tirupati: As the district has been facing severe shortage of sand, the Collectors of Nellore and Kadapa districts were consulted to help in getting it from there, said Collector Dr N Bharath Gupta.

The Collector conducted Spandana programme in Satyavedu on Monday and addressed the media later. Regarding sand policy entire district will be considered as one unit and efforts were on to make sand yards. Foolproof measures are also being taken to ensure that sand will not go to neighbouring States from bordering mandals.

Gupta said that MP B Durga Prasada Rao and MLA K Adimulam were of the view that Sri City is not giving priority to locals in employment opportunities. The details of industries set up in Sri City will be collected and a meeting to be held with industrialists to stress the need for providing 75 per cent of jobs to locals as per government order.

Special focus has been laid on education and health and providing basic infrastructure, he added. In Spandana programme, 800 representations were received out of which 300 related to houses or house sites. Another 300 petitions pertaining to pensions whereas 200 are on revenue problems.

MLA Adimulam has asked the Collector to take steps to develop Ubbalamadugu and Araniyar projects. MP Durga Prasad, Trainee Collector Pridhvi Tej and Tirupati RDO V Kanaka Narasa Reddy were also present.