Municipal Corporation of Tirupati initiates special drive for better sanitation

Tirupati: Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) officials have started enforcing the hoteliers, fast food owners and vacant house site owners to maintain better sanitation in their respective areas of the city. As part of Swachh Survekashan 2018 competition, the MCT officials have taken up the campaign.

Earlier, in Swachh Survekshan 2017 competition, MCT got 9th rank at all India level. This time the MCT officials have started enforcing strategy in addition to awareness camps to maintain cleanliness at all places. 

As part of the strategy, the civic body officials have already  started imposing penalties for the last two weeks. Following  instructions of the MCT Commissioner Ch Harikiran, all the special officers are conducting raids on hotels and fast food centres, road side food vendors near Railway Station and Bus stand and other areas. If they found unhygienic conditions, they impose penalties ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 10,000. In addition, the officials also cancel the trade licence to concerned hotel or fast food centre as per the municipal law.

As part of Swacch Survekshan special drive two days ago, Commissioner Harikiran and his team have conducted inspections at midnight and early hours in the city.  They have found that one prominent fast food centre owner dumped tea cups cleaning waste water on road. Officials imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 to that  owner. In another case, officials have seized  one teashop on the charges of running unhygienic conditions without trade license near MCT office.

Similarly huge penalties were imposed by the officials on shops and commercial establishments near railway station and bus stand. Along with the raids on hotels and shops, the officials also inspected garbage on vacant lands. Initially, officials listed more than 1000 vacant sites which have been causing bad sanitation conditions. Notices were issued to the land owners.  

Many of the site owners have not responded to MCT notices.  The officials started cleaning of vacant sites by using JCBs and the expenditure amounts are collected from land owners as penalties.

Commissioner, MCT Ch Harikiran said “we have identified the main causes of the unhygienic conditions in the temple city. Most of the garbage is generated from fast food centres and hotels. Water stagnation in vacant house sites in residential areas is also causing sanitation problems. We are sincerely trying to change the situation.”

By K Nethaji