Vijayawada Municipal Corporation's Krishna-Godavari canal cleaning kicks off
VIJAYAWADA/KAKINADA: As part of its efforts to prevent the water bodies from getting contaminated, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has launched ‘Mission for Clean Krishna-Godavari Canals’ campaign. A rally was taken out by the municipal corporation officials from Alankar Theater to D Mart on Samba Murthy Road here on Sunday.
From October 2 to October 31, street vendors, shopkeepers, hoteliers and the public were asked to participate in the beautification of the canal to reduce water pollution.Speaking on the occasion, VMC Commissioner Swapnil Dinakar Pundkar said that the civic body organised this programme with an objective of creating awareness among the denizens, businessmen and public appealing them not to dump waste into canals.
Despite organising several awareness programmes, a section of residents still throw waste in drainage, he said.“There is a dire need to educate the people living along the canal about the ill-effects of dumping plastic, liquid, residential and commercial waste into the canal,” Swapnil said. A canal bund field survey was also conducted.
Mayor Rayana Bhagya Lakshmi said that the VMC is working tirelessly to prevent dumping of garbage into canals along with creating awareness among the citizens by installing fencing and information boards near the canals. Real change is possible only when every citizen considers the environment around them as their own and maintains cleanliness and acts accordingly, the Mayor said.
The civic body is ready to provide suitable bins for depositing flower waste, she said and called on the people of Vijayawada to participate in the mission to make the canals of the city clean.
Kakinada Municipal Corporation organises canal walk
Meanwhile, Kakinada Municipal Corporation (KMC) also kicked off ‘Mission for Clean Krishna-Godavari canals’ to mark Gandhi Jayanti. . A 3-km canal walk was organised from Madhavapatnam to Indrapalem irrigation locks.The KMC will take up beautification works of the canal.
After holding the awareness rally, the KMC officials inspected the canal. The civic body officials urged the people not to dump waste into the canal. The canal is covered with weeds and garbage at several places between Madhavapatnam and Indrapalem. The KMC officials also found huge garbage piles on the canal banks.
Local traders and other business firms dump waste into the canal, blocking free flow of water. A few contractors are also dumping waste materials violating norms. Speaking on the occasion, KMC Additional Commissioner Ch Naga Narasimha Rao said that canal cleaning and beautification works will begin soon.
He warned that action will be taken against those dumping garbage into the canal. The officials said the KMC will set up CCTV cameras surrounding the canal. The civic body will conduct awareness meetings in nearby villages to prevent dumping of waste.