Officials, students, employees take part in clean-up drive

Visakhapatnam: Taking out brooms and garbage covers, a number of officials, students, employees and volunteers cleared litter in several parts of the beach in the city on Sunday.

As a part of the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ campaign, people joined hands and encouraged participation in keeping the environment clean. With the theme focusing on garbage free India, the initiative involved communities in the drive.

Holding the broom, Union Minister of State for Railways Darshana Jardosh took part in the intensive shramdan activity by sweeping the road surrounding Visakhapatnam railway station on Sunday. This apart, 14 minutes of clean up miracle protocol was observed onboard the train in the station. Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister said shramdaan activities aim at generating awareness among people and encouraging community participation. OSD/ South Coast Railway B. Chandra Sekhar, senior divisional operations manager G Suneel Kumar, Senior divisional operations manager (General) Preethi Rana, former MLC PVN Madhav, among others, accompanied the Union Minister during the campaign. The Union Minister interacted with the Safai mitras and took feedback on their health and distributed cloth bags to the passengers at the station.

A special cleanliness programme ‘Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath’ organised by Visakhapatnam Special Economic Zone at identified sites of VSEZ, other SEZs. Development Commissioner Srinivas Muppaala appreciated the efforts taken by the SEZ developers, SEZ units for organising the cleanliness programme.

IAS officer Roshni Aparanji Korati Roshni interacted with the Sanskruthi School children who have participated in the programme. Over 1,000 people across the SEZs in the state of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana participated in the programme.

HPCL Visakh Refinery organised a mega beach cleaning campaign at Sagar Nagar beach in the presence of ED and CGMs and HOD and DIG Coast Guards. Over 1,000 students from various schools and colleges took part in the programme.

They also conducted a drive at housing colonies, including Waltair Park and Yarada Park.

Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation organised a Shramadan programme at RK beach. District collector A Mallikarjuna, Mayor G Hari Venkata Kumari and Municipal Commissioner CM Saikanth Varma participated in the drive.

Speaking on the occasion, the District Collector stated that the cleanliness programme was organised at two places in each village panchayat in the district. GVMC Commissioner CM Saikanth Varma opined that by organising such programmes, children and youth would be aware of the cleanliness.

Vice Admiral, Chief of Staff, Eastern Naval Command Sameer Saxena, GVMC additional commissioner Sanyasi Rao, navy officers, government employees and students participated in the drive.