‘Beat The Heat’: Officials, Citizens Take Part In Drive

Visakhapatnam: Many government offices across north Andhra districts participated in the monthly Swachhandhra-Swarnandhra (SASA) cleanliness drive on Saturday, with this month’s theme was focused on ‘Beat the Heat’ initiatives to tackle the scorching summer heat. As part of the initiative, the Vizag municipal corporation has set up 106 cooling centres in the city and established green shades in public places, offering citizens some respite from the blazing sun.

In Anakapalli, district revenue officer Y. Satyanarayana Rao, who was leading the cleanliness drive at the Collector’s office premises, also inaugurated a ‘Chill Vendram’ (cooling station). On the other, the district police department organised a separate ‘Shramadan’ (volunteering) programme under the direction of SP Tuhin Sinha. The office premises were spruced up and saplings were planted on the occasion.

In Visakhapatnam, city mayor Pila Srinivasa Rao inaugurated the event at Shivaji Park. East constituency MLA Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu and District Collector M.N. Harendhira Prasad and others were present on the occasion. Six new sanitation vehicles worth `1.5 crore and funded jointly by the Central government and GVMC, were handed over to the persons concerned for carrying out cleanliness drive.

“The GVMC has undertaken many awareness programme to provide relief from summer heat,” the mayor said, while taking part in the sapling plantation drive.

“We encourage residents to grow plants on terrace gardens, prepare organic fertilizer from wet waste, and provide water for birds and animals during summers,” he said.

DSP P. Nageswara Rao said, “Cleanliness is the foundation for remaining healthy. It is the responsibility of the police forces to make people aware of cleanliness”.

In Vizianagaram, government employees cleaned office premises under the directive of District Collector B.R. Ambedkar. The district education office, electricity distribution company, information department and others participated in the drive.

Apart from this, installation of drinking water facilities in all government offices, setting up of water bowls for birds and animals, erecting tents in public places, creating awareness about heat stroke prevention and promoting terrace gardens and organic composting were organised on the occasion.

The state-mandated programme which is conducted on the third Saturday of every month, saw widespread participation of the officials from the government, police departments, as well as citizens from Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, and Vizianagaram districts also took part.