GUNTUR: Deputy Chief Minister (Panchayat Raj and Rural Development) Pawan Kalyan stressed the need for cleanliness and said it is the collective responsibility of all stakeholders, at the launch of Swachh Andhra - Swachh Divas programme at Namburu near here on Saturday.
He visited the waste management plant and enquired about its functioning, and also felicitated 35 Swachh workers, who worked hard during the recent floods.
Accompanied by Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar and Ponnur MLA Dhulipalla Narendra, he visited the exhibition of various fruits and vegetables grown using compost produced from waste to wealth centres.
Officials explained the three-bin system being implemented for door-to-door waste collection and the usage of various machines for recycling plastic waste and sanitary waste management. He inspected vermi-compost preparation.
Speaking at the event, Pawan Kalyan highlighted that cleanliness was a collective responsibility and not just limited to sanitation works or CLAP (Clean Andhra Pradesh) volunteers.
“Cleanliness is a reflection of our thoughts and it must become a part of our daily lives.” The Deputy Chief Minister also asserted that a garbage-free society begins at home.
He outlined the plans for sustainable waste management, including segregating waste at source and converting waste into wealth through recycling and composting. He urged the local bodies to adopt systematic approaches to reduce garbage, including vermi-composting and generating energy from waste.
Addressing concerns about bio-waste management, particularly from hospitals, he emphasised the need for pollution control and health safety measures. “With the help of NGOs and other stakeholders, special action plan will be prepared for effective management of bio-waste,” he added. He also assured that the pay hike of CLAP workers would be brought to the Cabinet’s attention. He called upon public representatives and officials to actively participate in the programme being held on third Saturday of every month.