Tirupati: ‘Suddha Tirumala-Sundara Tirumala’ evokes good response

Tirupati : A mass cleaning programme of TTD, ‘Suddha Tirumala-Sundara Tirumala’ (clean and beautiful Tirumala) was held at Alipiri on Saturday. TTD EO A V Dharma Reddy flagged off the unique cleaning programme along with JEO for health and education Sada Bhargavi. The initiative was first introduced by the TTD in May this year to improve cleanliness and make holy hills litter free.

Speaking on the occasion, the EO said it was a blessing for all participants, including students for their erstwhile good deeds. Around 1,000 boys and girls from all the TTD educational institutions led by their respective principals, teachers and supporting staff participated in this mass cleaning on both the Tirumala ghat roads and both the footpaths as well. As part of the drive, the students removed plastic bottles and other solid wastes to make it clean and neat.

The EO said all the participants were provided with hand gloves, masks and plastic bags to collect the plastic bottles on ghat roads and footpaths. He said this programme will not only enlighten the employees and students to keep their premises clean but also helps in creating a massive awareness among multitude of visiting devotees who are trekking these two footpaths and travelling along ghat roads to keep Tirumala precincts and environs free from plastic.

This programme was first held on April 30 with an aim of transforming the holy hills into a green and garbage-free town providing a healthy and divine ambience to the visiting devotees. Again, it was held on May 13 which covered up and down ghat roads, Alipiri and Srivari Mettu footpaths in which former Chief Justice of India N V Ramana along with EO Dharma Reddy, collector K Venkataramana Reddy and others took part. Since then, it has been held every second Saturday.

Vice-chancellors of SV Vedic University Prof Rani Sadasivamurthy, SV University Prof K Raja Reddy, SPMVV Prof D Bharati, SPMVV registrar Prof N Rajani, SE-3 Jagadeeshwar Reddy, DEO Bhaskar Reddy, DyEOs Govindarajan, health officer Dr Sridevi, additional health officer Dr Sunil Kumar, medical officer Dr Narmada, principals of several TTD-run colleges and heads of all TTD departments were also present