Swachh Bharat team assess hygiene in Vijayawada

Vijayawada: Swachh Bharat Mission national team paid a visit to various parts of the city as part of the field survey to assess cleanliness in the city. It may be recalled that the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation secured 19th place in 2016 among the 500 cities and towns in the country for cleanliness in the city and is now trying to improve its position. 

The visiting national team collected information from various sources and sent a report to the Central government online. Now, field level survey is being conducted to assess the efforts being made by the corporation to keep the city clean. 

On Thursday, the two-member team visited some divisions in the city and verified the hygienic conditions and received feedback from the public on the efforts of the corporation to keep the city clean and green.

The Union government every year announces ranks to the cities and municipalities based on the hygienic conditions maintained in the city. The corporation began preparations many months ago for the visit of Swachh Bharat Mission team.

The civic body has renovated 64 community toilets in the city and making relentless efforts to check urination in public places of the city.  More than 95 per cent areas of the city are free from open defecation.

Besides, tireless efforts are being made for the proper utilisation of solid waste in the city. As part of it, five shredding machine points were installed in the city. These shredding machine points will crush the wet garbage and later it will be shifted to vermi-compost units installed in different parts of the city. 

The civic body collects 500 tonnes of garbage every day. As part of the Swachh Bharat Mission, garbage is collected in two separate baskets as wet and dry garbage. Wet garbage is sent to the compost units for making urea, said Chief Medical and Health Officer of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation Dr K Arjuna Rao.

He said Swachh Andhra Pradesh Corporation is also rendering assistance to the corporation to keep city clean. He said thousands of baskets distributed in the city free of cost to collect wet and dry garbage separate so that two types can be disposed of easily and efficiently.