Call to strive for first place

Visakhapatnam: The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) in association with Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) took out Clean India-Green India rally on the beach front on Thursday. As a part of the programme, the beach cleaning programme was taken up right from the Coastal Battery to Tenneti Park.

Participating in the event, the Statistical Adviser for Environmental and Climate Change, New Delhi, M Petor Johnson, said that in order to create awareness among the people on the environmental issues, the programme was being organised. The APPCB, Forest and Public Health departments jointly operating the programme periodically. Beach cleaning and plantation are the priority programmes, Johnson said.

Already, Visakhapatnam city has won the good rank in maintaining the city clean, and he exuded confidence that the city would cross more milestones. Commissioner of GVMC M Hari Narayanan called upon the people to join hands to secure first place in Swachh Survekshan -2018.

During 2017, the city won third position in Swachh Survekshan. The GVMC has been taking up several initiatives to secure first place in Swachh Survekshan-2018, he added. He appealed the people not to litter waste on the roads and at open places.

The Commissioner explained about the collection of separated wet and dry garbage on a massive scale in the city. The corporation has been striving and communicating with the citizens to use wet and dry dustbins to transform the city into a beautiful destination, the Commissioner said.

A large number of senior citizens, college students, members from various NGOs, GVMC officials took part in the cleaning drive.