AP Govt to merge 51 villages with Vijayawada Municipal Corporation

Vijayawada: The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC), which secured 19th place among the 500 cities and towns in the country last year, in the implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission is now assisting the 51 village panchayats situated in and around the city surroundings to improve the sanitary conditions.

The government has decided to merge 51 villages with the corporation in order to enhance the coordination between the city and suburban areas to improve the hygienic conditions and green cover. The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation is spending Rs 100 crore every year for sanitation, purchase of vehicles, maintenance, fuel and to meet other expenses.

Villages like Gollapudi, Poranki, Nunna, Penamaluru, Ramavappadu, Enikepadu and Jakkampudi are almost merged with the city geographically.
Though these villages have developed infrastructure, they need support from the VMC to lift the garbage and laying the underground drainage canals and pipes.

As per the existing norms, villages with more than a population of 5,000 are eligible for the UGD. More than 30 villages in the vicinity of the city have more than 5000 population and there is possibility for laying under ground drainage.

The city of Vijayawada is ready to set up a bio-mining plant at Ajit Singh Nagar to clear garbage. Once the technology becomes operational, similar plants can be set up in other villages to dispose garbage and other waste material. Regarding bio-mining, the garbage is divided into combustible and non-combustible in order to dispose it easily.

Moreover, the Swachh Andhra Pradesh Corporation is giving financial and technical support to the corporation by supplying heavy vehicles to shift the garbage to the dumping yards. A similar support can be extended to the nearby 51 villages to lift the garbage and keep the villages clean.

Speaking to The Hans India here on Wednesday, Collector B Lakshmikantham said that the corporation was preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the merger of 51 villages with the civic body to maintain better sanitation and disposing the garbage.

He said the corporation was trying to get a loan from HUDCO or other financial institutions to give support to the village panchayats once they are merged with it. He further said Rs 60 crore would be spent to transform Vijayawada into the city of canals as three canals, Bandar Canal, Ryves Canal and Eluru Canal pass through the city. The population of Vijayawada city which is between 13-14 lakh may reach up to 20 lakh with the merger of the 51 villages.

By Md Ameen