VISAKHAPATNAM: The much-awaited USAID (US Agency for International Development) team finally visited the city Wednesday. The GVMC officials had a meeting with the team members on the GVMC premises during which the civic authorities briefed the team on the health, water supply and sanitation conditions in the city through a presentation.
On the occasion, GVMC commissioner J Pravin Kumar said that Visakhapatnam had over 800 slums. The conditions of around 500 of them had been improved, while plan was on the anvil for the remaining 300. He also said that there were around 15,000 toilets on construction works. Pravin also said that there were around 250 Sulabh complexes and 50 open defecation points in the city. He said that Bheemili and Anakapalle, merged with the corporation, had also open defecation points. He clarified on the construction of toilets for beneficiaries and repairs to schools.
On the water supply, Pravin sought support to plug water leakages. He said that water had been leaking from the pipelines which were laid three decades ago. The GVMC had been creating awareness on the issues and the Central and the State Governments had been helping in its endeavours. Pravin said that the USAID help at this juncture would go a long way. Responding, the USAID team expressed its complete support to the GVMC efforts.