Let us build clean and beautiful Tirupati: Collector

Tirupati: District Collector Dr S Venkateswar called upon people to work collectively to build a clean, healthy and beautiful Tirupati by following the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi.

Speaking at the district-level Swachhata Hi Seva Awards–2026 programme at Kachapi Auditorium here on Friday on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, the Collector said cleanliness programmes had been conducted every year on October 2 for the past 16 years.

He said Tirupati had secured a place among the top three cities in the country in the Swachh League rankings in 2024 and 2025. The awards were being presented to corporations, municipalities and panchayats that had performed well in sanitation, beautification and prevention of air pollution.

Collector Venkateswar said the goal of building a golden Andhra Pradesh could be achieved only through a clean Andhra Pradesh. Sanitation programmes were being conducted across the State on the third Saturday of every month under the Swachh Andhra initiative.

He stressed that public participation was essential for maintaining cleanliness. Tirupati city generated around 250 tonnes of waste every day, but only 70 to 80 tonnes was processed locally, while the remaining waste was shifted to the Ramapuram dumping yard, he informed.

The Collector urged people to segregate wet and dry waste at household level and spend at least 10 minutes every day on waste separation. He said a 600-metric-tonne waste-to-energy plant would be established at Ramapuram at a cost of over Rs 300 crore. The tender process was under way and the project was expected to be completed by December 2027 or January 2028. He warned that unhygienic surroundings could cause diseases such as malaria, dengue and typhoid. He also directed officials to conduct regular health check-ups for sanitation workers and provide them with masks, gloves, safety coats and other protective equipment.

Municipal Commissioner Jayakrishna said the Swarna Andhra–Swachh Andhra programme should be transformed into a people’s movement. He called upon people to contribute to the construction of a golden Andhra Pradesh as part of the national goal of achieving a developed India by 2047. He urged citizens to recognise their responsibilities along with their rights and set an example in sanitation management. Later, the Collector presented awards to outstanding staff members from various departments.

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The Hans India