Swachhandhra: CM’s strong pitch for public participation

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has urged every citizen to actively participate in the ‘Swachhandhra’ mission to achieve its goals effectively. Chairing a review meeting on sanitation and cleanliness standards on Friday, he emphasised that setting goals alone is insufficient and that effective implementation is key.
The State Government has been organising special ‘Swachhandhra-Swarnandhra’ programmes on the third Saturday of every month, with a unique theme each time to raise public awareness, the Chief Minister said. While January’s theme was ‘New Year Clean Start,’ this month’s focus is ‘Source-Resource,’ highlighting the need to utilise available resources for sustainable development. Naidu underscored the importance of enhancing living standards, boosting tourism, attracting investments, and achieving Net Zero emissions while aligning with sustainable development goals. He directed officials to prioritise sanitation, public health, and solid waste management to meet the Centre’s targets.
“Swachhandhra is not just about clean surroundings but also about fostering an ethical mindset. Residences, public spaces, schools, colleges, government offices, places of worship, and industries must all be kept clean,” he stated.
He stressed that cleanliness should not be viewed as the responsibility of a single department but as a collective effort involving every individual, employee, and organisation.
The Chief Minister also called for reforms in government offices to ensure a clean and friendly atmosphere. He warned against empty slogans and urged citizens to take ownership of the mission, stating that maintaining greenery while littering roads or cutting trees would no longer be tolerated.
Officials from the Pollution Control Board and other departments briefed the Chief Minister on the progress of initiatives led by the Urban Development and Panchayat Raj wings. They reported on various aspects, including the construction of individual and public toilets, door-to-door waste collection, solid waste segregation, and village sanitation.
As per the latest rankings based on 14 key indicators, the NTR district secured the top position with 129 points out of 200, followed by Visakhapatnam with 127 points. Alluri Sitarama Raju district ranked last, securing the 26th position with just 81 points.