Vizag’s Swachh Andhra Awards honor 68 awardees

GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg receiving the Swachch Andhra 2026 state level awards in the Swachcha Municipalities category for urban local bodies during a program in Vijayawada on Friday. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Visakhapatnam Member of Parliament M. Sribharat and District Collector M. Abhishikth Kishore on Friday called upon citizens, elected representatives and officials to work together to improve cleanliness standards in Visakhapatnam. Speaking at the district level Swachh Andhra awards held at VMRDA Children’s Arena on Gandhi Jayanti, they said public participation is essential to keep the city clean. Awards were presented to 68 individuals and organizations in various categories.

Mr. Kishore said that Visakhapatnam has modern sanitation systems, mechanized sanitation facilities, waste-to-energy facilities and marine waste disposal facilities. He said the city should aim to achieve cleanliness standards comparable to Japan in the next two to three years. He emphasized that sanitation workers alone cannot achieve the goal and urged citizens to keep their homes and streets clean.

Mr. Sribharat said cleanliness should be treated as a social responsibility and called for public participation in sanitation and environmental protection.

Government Whip and MLC Vepada Chiranjeevi Rao said that along with the efforts of sanitation workers and officials, a change in the behavior of citizens is necessary. Velagapudi East Constituency MLA Ramakrishna Babu appealed to citizens not to throw garbage on roads and hand over wet and dry waste to collection vehicles.

Published – 02 October 2026 23:50 IST