‘Swachh Andhra – Swachh Diwas’ programmes held in NTR dist

In response to the State government’s call to maintain cleanliness across villages, towns, and cities, Swachh Andhra – Swachh Diwas programmes were conducted across the NTR district on Saturday. The state government has designated this initiative every third Saturday. As part of the programme, the NTR district administration organised an event at Gollapudi village in Vijayawada Rural Mandal.
MP Sivanath flagged off the Swachh Andhra – Swachh Diwas rally, accompanied by Mylavaram MLA Vasantha Krishna Prasad, NTR District Collector Dr G. Lakshmisha, and other officials. They actively participated in both the rally and the cleanliness drive. During the event, Dr Lakshmisha administered a cleanliness oath.
Addressing the gathering, MP Sivanath emphasised the need for collective efforts to make the district a model for implementing Swachh Andhra – Swachh Diwas. He urged the public to strive for a plastic-free district, highlighting the harmful effects of plastic on health and the environment. He advised people to switch to eco-friendly alternatives like cloth or jute bags and to use copper or steel bottles for drinking water. He also encouraged the use of glass and steel materials in hotels to minimise plastic usage.
The MP appealed to officials and public representatives to create awareness about the importance of not dumping garbage in public spaces or along roadsides. He stressed that the state government is ensuring mass participation in cleanliness drives to clear garbage and unwanted vegetation.
Dr G. Lakshmisha, the NTR District Collector, reiterated the significance of cleanliness for better health. He warned against dumping waste in drains and public places, which often leads to the spread of diseases. He instructed officials at village, mandal, and district levels to ensure proper disposal of waste at designated dumping yards.
The Collector also urged officials to procure vehicles with donor support for transporting garbage. He later inspected unauthorized garbage dumping spots along the Gollapudi – Jakkampudi Road and directed officials to remove them, warning of strict action against violators.
Prominent attendees included NTR District Panchayat Officer (DPO) Lavanya Kumari, DLPO GSL Raghavan, DRDA PD K. Srinivasa Rao, Tahsildar B. Suguna Kumari, MPDO B. Viggins, Panchayat Secretary M. Swaroopa Rani, and Panchayat Special Officer M. Prasad.
Separately, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) organised Swachh Andhra – Swachh Diwas programmes across all 64 divisions in the city. VMC Mayor Rayana Bhagya Lakshmi, Vijayawada Central MLA and Government Whip Bonda Uma Maheswara Rao, East MLA Gadde Rama Mohana Rao, West MLA Yalamanchili Satyanarayana Chowdary (Sujana Chowdary), VMC In-Charge Commi ssioner Chandrasekhar, and several other corporators participated in the events.