Araku Valley(ASR District): Alluri Sitarama Raju district collector AS Dinesh Kumar urged tourists to act responsibly and respect nature while enjoying scenic destinations. As part of the Araku Winter Festival, a trekking event was organised on Sunday from Sunkarametta Coffee Trail, covering a three-kilometre stretch. The initiative was aimed to instil enthusiasm and courage among participants, attracting a significant number of young adventurers.

Responding to the collector’s call to make tourist spots plastic-free, participants actively removed plastic waste along the trekking route. The event received support from a team led by OP Agarwal from Madhya Pradesh.

The trek was conducted under the supervision of Visakhapatnam District Judge M Giridhar, Divisional Forest Officer Sandeep Reddy, Sub-Divisional Forest Officer Uma Maheswari, and Freedom Fighters Museum Curator P Sankara Rao.

Participants shared their experiences, describing the joy of hearing birds chirping, inhaling the fragrance of diverse flora, and feeling the refreshing mountain air infused with medicinal plant aromas. Many expressed their awe at the beauty of nature.

A highlight of the festival was the Muggu (Rangoli) Competition, which drew enthusiastic participation from visitors. Women officers also joined the event, adding to the festive spirit. The top three winners were B Devi, L Madhushree, and U Sunitha, while three-year-old Chinmayi received a consolation prize.

The festival witnessed the presence of Anakapalli district collector Vijaya Krishnan, ASR district joint collector Dr MJ Abhishek Gowda, ITDA Project Officer Aibishek, DRO Padmalatha, and other dignitaries.