To fight pollution, civic body staff go for public transport

Visakhapatnam: The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has already declared a war against single use plastic. Now, the focus is on beating vehicular pollution as well.

Marching a step towards this direction, the employees of GVMC reached the office by boarding the public transport system and other modes on Monday.

With the Municipal Commissioner G Lakshmisha calling upon the authorities to implement the new system from Monday, the corporation officials embarked on shifting to the public transport system and other eco-friendly modes to head to the office.

Contributing their part to the move, the officials decided to follow a no-vehicle zone every Monday at the office premises.

Speaking to The Hans India, GVMC Commissioner G Lakshmisha said, "In an effort to reduce pollution in Greater Visakhapatnam, we have decided to maintain GVMC as a no vehicle-zone every Monday. We made it clear that all the staff should either avail the public transport or other mode to reach the office." The appeal is also to those arriving in the GVMC office to file grievances during Spandana programme and other work to extend their cooperation in maintaining the premises a vehicle-free zone by avoiding their own vehicles.

On Mondays, no vehicle will be allowed inside the GVMC main building.

Extending her support to the initiative, City Mayor Golagani Hari Venkata Kumari walked down from the camp office in Arilova to the nearest bus stand and boarded a bus to reach Venkojipalem to attend the 125th birth anniversary celebrations of Alluri Sitarama Raju near Park Hotel. Further, the Mayor boarded an auto-rickshaw and reached the GVMC office. Meanwhile, the GVMC Commissioner reached the office by pedalling a bicycle.

Earlier, a similar attempt was made for the first time in 2011 in GVMC. The former GVMC Commissioner B Ramanjaneyulu implemented a no-vehicle zone. Later, MV Satyanarayana and Pravin Kumar, who served as Municipal Commissioners, also followed the same.

Apparently, a similar system was enforced for two years in Andhra University as well. No vehicle was allowed inside the campus, including AU staff and others during former Vice Chancellor Prof. GSN Raju's tenure.