CM Naidu Calls for Clean Rivers, Green Andhra Pradesh
Cleanliness as an endeavour should not be left to the government alone to take forward, he said, and urged the five crore people of Andhra Pradesh to make it a habit.
VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday called for a statewide movement to keep rivers clean, saying waste and sewage must not be allowed to enter the Krishna and Godavari.
Cleanliness as an endeavour should not be left to the government alone to take forward, he said, and urged the five crore people of Andhra Pradesh to make it a habit.
Addressing the Swarnandhra–Swachh Andhra Awards-2026 in Vijayawada, Naidu said pollution of rivers affected people downstream, who depended on the water for drinking and also caused environmental damage.
He linked environmental degradation to conditions such as El Nino and said the state was expanding sewage treatment plants along with tap-water supply under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
The CM stressed that personal hygiene, clean surroundings and cleanliness in one’s thoughts were essential for building a healthy Andhra Pradesh. Recalling Mahatma Gandhi’s emphasis on sanitation, he said cleanliness was everyone’s responsibility.
Naidu said the state was treating waste as a resource, with plans to generate electricity, fertiliser and biogas and promote a circular economy. Swachh Rath vehicles, e-autos, pushcarts, mechanised road sweepers and integrated solid-waste management centres were being deployed to achieve zero garbage.
He said the Swachh Andhra Corporation had signed an MoU with IIT Kanpur to study new approaches towards net-zero initiatives. Net-zero practices were also being promoted in schools, colleges and hostels.
The government, he said, has plans to spend `1.30 lakh crore on rural development over the next five years. Rayalaseema was being developed as a global horticulture hub with an investment of `1 lakh crore, which would also increase green cover.
Stressing the need to make Andhra Pradesh a greener state, Naidu urged the people to plant trees and promote electric vehicles and green energy. He cited Swachh Challapalli as an example of how cleanliness could become a public habit.
The CM said 130 state-level awards across 22 categories and 2,044 district-level awards were being presented to encourage sanitation champions. Clean municipalities, gram panchayats, schools, hospitals, bus stations and industries, besides sanitation workers and Green Ambassadors, were being recognised.
Naidu also proposed cleanliness rankings for every school, panchayat and municipality, based on public feedback. The programme also saw awards presented to Swachhata warriors, villages, towns, schools, hospitals, organisations, premises and NGOs. About 12,000 sportspersons and runners had extended solidarity to the Swachh Andhra campaign, he said.