Kurnool: With the objective of transforming Kurnool into a Clean and Green City, the Kurnool Municipal Corporation (KMC) has launched a series of comprehensive and innovative initiatives under the leadership of Commissioner P Viswanath.

The programme places strong emphasis on sanitation, greenery, environmental protection and public safety. Key measures include night sanitation, large-scale removal of wild vegetation from vacant lands, plantation of 40,000 saplings, a revamped construction and demolition (C&D) waste management system, control of stray animals and relocation of rabid dogs, supported by extensive public awareness campaigns.

To prevent health and safety risks caused by unhygienic vacant plots, KMC has enforced strict action. Property owners were issued notices and deadlines to clean their lands, while newspaper notices were treated as final warnings where ownership details were unavailable.

In cases of non-compliance, the corporation carried out cleaning operations on its own and earmarked the cleared plots for municipal use. A special cleanliness drive deploying 27 JCBs simultaneously was undertaken to remove garbage and debris from vacant lands and major roads. To ease traffic congestion and reduce inconvenience to sanitation workers, night sanitation has been introduced on busy roads. As part of its public safety initiative, the corporation has also taken steps to regulate stray animals on roads to prevent accidents.

Special locations are being identified for relocating roaming cattle and animals, and owners have been warned that they will be held responsible in case of accidents. To curb the menace of stray dogs, KMC is implementing court-mandated guidelines, making compound walls mandatory at railway stations, bus stands, hospitals and educational institutions, while issuing clear instructions to function halls and places of worship.

Strict action will be taken against dumping leftover food on roads, and rabid dogs attacking people are being shifted to the Gargeyapuram dump yard.

For effective C&D waste management, KMC has enforced a dedicated system permitting transport only through authorised vehicles, with recycling at the Joharapuram dump yard and utilisation for temporary road works in low-lying areas.

Illegal dumping will attract penalties and legal action, with charges fixed at Rs 500 for tractors and Rs.1,000 for tippers, payable through QR code facilities (contact: 7422992299). Alongside this, an extensive green drive is underway, with 40,000 saplings planted so far, including a special drive of 6,000 saplings in a single day, free plant distribution and the vision of “Greenery in Every Home and Every Street. P Viswanath, Commissioner of Kurnool Municipal Corporation, speaking to The Hans India has stated that these initiatives aim to ensure public health, safety and environmental sustainability, and called upon citizens to actively cooperate in making Kurnool an ideal Clean and Green City.