Public Participation Essential To Achieve Clean Andhra Pradesh: CM

Gudivada: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said the objective of the Swachh Andhra–Swarna Andhra initiative is to build a clean, prosperous and sustainable Andhra Pradesh. He urged citizens to adopt a net-zero lifestyle by minimising waste generation at the household level, embrace carbon-neutral living and promote rainwater harvesting to recharge groundwater.

Participating in 18th edition of the Swarna Andhra–Swachh Andhra programme at Gudivada in Krishna district today he virtually launched public health and municipal engineering works worth Rs 15,274 crore across 120 Urban Local bodies in the State. He also inspected the Online works monitoring system, visited stalls displaying products made by MEPMA women's self-help groups, inaugurated Waste-to-Energy plants at Nellore, Kondapalli, Bethamcherla, Kamalapuram, Badvel, Yeleswaram, Narsipatnam and Peddapuram, presented Operation Clean Sweep Awards to several municipalities and corporations and released the Operation Clean Sweep coffee table book.

The Chief Minister said he has been participating in the Swarna Andhra–Swachh Andhra programme on every third Saturday of the month and noted that Gudivada was the constituency from which late N.T. Rama Rao first entered electoral politics. He said NTR founded the Telugu Desam Party with the ideals of clean politics with a governance model focused on development and welfare. The present government, he said, is committed to delivering welfare to all eligible beneficiaries, creating employment, generating wealth and improving the standard of living through good governance, law and order and economic growth.

The Chief Minister said cleanliness is not merely about sweeping roads but about improving the environment and public health.He called upon every citizen to take responsibility for keeping their native place free from garbage and stressed that public participation is essential to achieve the goal of a clean Andhra Pradesh.

The Chief Minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to transparent governance and zero tolerance towards corruption.He also urged citizens to protect Amaravati, the people's capital, and recalled the enthusiastic participation of Telugu people worldwide in the earlier Janmabhoomi programme. Investments in sewage treatment plants, overhead water tanks, restoration of lakes and improved drainage systems, he said, would ensure safe drinking water and better sanitation.

The Chief Minister announced that 126 electric autos have already been deployed for door-to-door waste collection and another 1,104 e-autos will soon be added.He said the government will establish waste management plants with 528 crore and set up eight Waste-to-Energy plants across the State.

He said the Swachh Rath programme has distributed essential commodities worth Rs 16 crore while collecting household waste. Referring to legacy waste left untreated over the years, he said the government has already cleared 140 lakh metric tonnes of accumulated garbage and aims to make Andhra Pradesh garbage-free by October 2 through programmes such as Swachh Patham and Operation Clean Sweep.

Recalling the water crisis in the Krishna Delta 12 years ago, the Chief Minister said the Pattiseema Project was completed within 12 months to divert Godavari waters to the Krishna Delta.Despite a 48 percent rainfall deficit this year and limited inflows into Prakasam Barrage, Pattiseema is ensuring irrigation water to the Delta, he said. So far, 450 TMC of water has been transferred through the project, creating wealth worth nearly Rs 50,000 crore. He said the government remained steadfast despite attempts to obstruct the project and added that once the Polavaram Project is completed, water would flow to the Delta by gravity. He reiterated the government's commitment to interlink rivers from Vamsadhara to Penna to permanently address drought in the State.

The Chief Minister said water is the lifeline of the aquaculture sector and assured full support to the industry. He said the government has already taken up issues relating to shrimp prices and feed costs with the Union Government.He reaffirmed the government's commitment to protecting the aquaculture sector. He urged farmers to focus on pollution control, traceability, certification and natural farming, pointing out that food quality standards are becoming increasingly stringent worldwide. He also said farmers are receiving up to Rs 20,000 annually under PM-Kisan and assured support to tobacco farmers as well.

The Chief Minister said the government continues to implement welfare programmes despite financial constraints.He announced that funds under the Talliki Vandanam scheme would be credited to beneficiaries' accounts between July 22 and July 24. While acknowledging financial challenges, he said the government remains committed to standing by the poor.He also announced financial assistance for Anganwadi workers and personnel engaged in the Swachh Andhra programme.

The Chief Minister alleged that the previous government had pushed the State into decline and remarked that the people "cleansed political garbage" in the 2024 elections through their vote.He expressed concern over criminal tendencies in politics, conspiracies and the circulation of obscene content on social media. He said objectionable posts targeting the family members of Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan cannot be defended in the name of freedom of expression.He asserted that the government would not tolerate anyone who disrupts public peace or takes the law into their own hands.

Referring to recent incidents, he said prompt action was taken in a case involving the alleged misconduct of a Telugu Desam Party worker in Guntur, including suspension from the party, arrest and legal proceedings. Officials found negligent in their duties were also transferred.The Chief Minister reiterated that the law would apply equally to everyone, irrespective of political affiliation, and affirmed that no one guilty of wrongdoing would be spared.