GHMC steps up efforts for litter-free streets

Charminar: As part of 'Saaf Hyderabad – Shaandaar Hyderabad' (SHSH), the GHMC (Charminar Zone) officials have decided to enforce 'litter free zones' under various circles and to levy penalties on unheeding hawkers. This week, the GHMC held meetings across different circles to generate awareness among the hawkers and street-vendors whose representatives were asked to spread the message across the area.

GHMC Zonal Commissioner B Srinivas Reddy, along with other higher officials from the department and police, organised a meeting at his chambers at zonal office on Thursday, where the representatives of vendor associations, town vending committees were asked to follow stricter norms to ensure that the streets remain litter free.

Besides 'demarcation zones,' vendors were also asked to ensure that the litter is collected near their points of business either by attaching garbage cans to the pushcarts or by installing one near their points of sale.

"The leftovers were found to be lying on the next day morning and the GHMC works had tough time to clearing it off the roads. Now, we will be ensuring that wastage is easily lifted by the GHMC vehicles from the vendors," said an official. On Wednesday, the Chandrayangutta Circle also held similar meeting chaired by P Mohan Reddy, where N Venu Gopal, deputy project officer (Urban Community Development) and other officials, including police officials and the representatives of town vending committee, discussed about making the idea a success in different wards.

"Now, this will be enforced in the entire area under SHSH initiative and even the hawkers defying this would be levied penalties between Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. We have asked the representatives to spread this message amongst the hawker community to ensure clean streets," said Venu Gopal.

It may be mentioned here that as a pilot project, the GHMC (Rajendranagar) in February started installing bins to the carts at Aramghar X Road. The GHMC spent around Rs 400 for each bucket, which was given at free of cost to the vendors.