People urged to eliminate e-waste
Collector G Raja Kumari encouraged citizens to keep their homes clean and avoid dumping waste in drains or on roads
Kothapalli (Nandyal district): As part of the ongoing Swachh Andhra - Swarna Andhra campaign, District Collector G Raja Kumari has called upon the public to actively participate in the removal of electronic waste from both rural and urban areas. The Collector participated in the campaign held at Kothapalli Mandal headquarters on Saturday.
Speaking on the occasion, the Collector highlighted the importance of the campaign, which is being implemented across the state as a flagship initiative of the government. She emphasized the need for collective responsibility in eliminating electronic waste and urged people to take special care in this regard.
She informed that the campaign began in January this year with the “New Year Clean Chart” and has been continuing with a specific cleanliness theme each month. In February, the theme was “Source to Resource,” promoting wealth creation from waste. In March, the campaign focused on reducing single-use plastics by encouraging reusable alternatives.
This month, the theme is focused on eliminating e-waste through a sub-initiative called “e-Check.” As part of this, the government has instructed all offices to identify and collect damaged and non-functional electronic items such as old televisions, phone chargers, speakers, computer mice, printers, scanners, CPUs, UPS units, stabilizers, and other obsolete computer peripherals. These are to be cataloged and sent to RRR (Reduce, Recycle, Reuse) centers, with official receipts issued upon submission.
The Collector stated that certified agencies will assess the value of these electronic items and provide corresponding cash compensation. RRR centers have been established in every municipal center, and efforts are underway to set them up in village panchayats with populations exceeding 10,000.
She noted that there are 11 such panchayats in the district and a total of 17 RRR centers are being launched across Nandyal district.
The Collector encouraged citizens to keep their homes clean and avoid dumping waste in drains or on roads. She urged the public to take ownership of maintaining cleanliness in public spaces including roads, offices, hospitals, and other government institutions.
She warned that improper disposal of waste could lead to the spread of mosquitoes and increase the risk of diseases like malaria and dengue, which often result in high treatment costs. Preventive action, she stressed, is essential.
She also appealed to school authorities to regularly educate students about personal and environmental hygiene. Headmasters should orient students on practices such as flushing toilets before and after use, washing hands before meals, and maintaining personal cleanliness. Special awareness should be given to girl students regarding hygiene, she added.
