ONGOLE: In order to get a better rank in the Swachh Survekshan-2020, Chirala Municipal authorities have decided to ban plastic usage within the municipal limits from Friday, and appointed special monitoring teams to ensure its proper implementation. As per the records, Chirala municipality ranked fifth in the State during the cleanliness survey in 2018. However, it slipped to the 19th position in 2019.
In order to give a boost to their ranking in the 2020 census, the municipal authorities decided to impose a total ban on the use of plastic. Speaking to TNIE, Chirala Municipality Commissioner K Ramachandra Reddy said, “We are trying to ensure that people residing within our municipality limits to give up plastic usage as soon as possible. Therefore, we have conducted several public awareness campaigns by collaborating with the local NGOs. Our special teams will conduct surprise checks on hotels and shops on a regular basis from Friday.”
Around 1.62 lakh people reside within the Chirala municipality limits. Also, around 350 to 400 street vendors, 50 small and medium tea-stalls and hotels are present in and around the town. For the last few weeks, the municipal sanitation staff has been conducting awareness campaigns and meetings with the street vendors, hoteliers and other businesspersons regarding the plastic ban.
“We have been conducting these campaigns for the past few months and recently we have sensed that even the public has become aware of the dangers of using plastic. Hence, we have decided to proceed with the ban,” Ramachandra explained.
The authorities also distributed 30,000 jute bags to the public, prior to the implementation of the ban so that they do not face any inconvenience. The commissioner added, “We distributed 30,000 jute bags to street vendors, schools, SC/ST/BC hostel students, small hoteliers and some BPL families. Various NGOs came forward to distribute the jute and cotton bags for free.”