Onus lies on everyone to protect environment: Collector to officials

Tirupati: District Collector K Venkata Ramana Reddy said that the responsibility of protecting the environment is on everyone and the concerned departments should prepare reports in accordance with the guidelines of the Central and state governments for the prevention ofpollution through the management of solid and liquid waste, sound and air.

He chaired a review meeting at the Collectorate on Monday along with Pollution Control Board Regional Officer A Narendra Babu, which was attended by district officials of 16 departments. They discussed the issue of preparing the District Environmental Plan.

On the occasion, the Collector said that there was an urgent need for all the newly formed districts to prepare district environmental plans as per the directives of the Central government. For this purpose, the model templates given by the AP Pollution Control Board (APPCB) contain the required information on solid waste management, liquid waste management, noise pollution, pollution of drinking water sources, vehicular pollution, hospital waste management, mining and forest department activities. The officials of concerned departments were asked to prepare the plan and submit by Tuesday evening based on which the district environmental plan will be prepared.

It is suggested that the forest department should prepare a complete plan in coordination with DWMA and horticulture officials on planting saplings in the school premises, house premises, on the banks of ponds and other areas and educate the children on plantation from childhood. He said that the LIFE programme should be implemented properly. He said that the Municipal Corporation, Municipalities, Panchayats should maintain solid and liquid waste management centres and ensure that they are free from pollution.

Superintendent Engineer (RWS) Vijaya Kumar, District Panchayat Officer Rajasekhar Reddy, District Transport Officer K Sitarama Reddy, Industries Department Officer Pratap Reddy and others were present along with APPCB staff.