Kondapi: The social welfare minister Dr Dola Sree Bala Veerankaneya Swamy along with the Prakasam district collector A Thameem Ansariya participated in the awareness rally with the students and locals, and laid foundation stones for the construction of water absorption pits, at the Jallapalem village in Kondapi mandal on Saturday. Addressing the meeting, the minister described the ‘Swarnandhra–Swacchh Andhra’ as a monumental programme, and emphasised the importance of personal and environmental hygiene.

He said that the government provides financial assistance for both individual toilet construction and water absorption pits. He highlighted that directing household wastewater into absorption pits instead of drains or streets would help increase groundwater levels while maintaining cleaner surroundings and preventing diseases.

The government aims to construct about 15,000 absorption pits across the district, with 150 planned for Jallapalem village alone.

Collector called for increased awareness about the necessity of absorption pits and expressed hope that Jallapalem village would become a model for the district. She directed officials to create awareness about wet and dry waste segregation at the household level and emphasised that cleanliness is crucial for a healthy society.

The programme included a theatrical performance demonstrating the importance of cleanliness, water conservation, and groundwater recharge measures. They also administered a pledge to locals about maintaining clean surroundings.