Visakhapatnam: GVMC pulls out all stops for mega beach clean-up drive

Civic body hopes to surpass record set by Israel

The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), which has planned a mega beach clean-up drive in the city on Friday, has set itself a lofty goal of surpassing a record set by Israel where a similar campaign was conducted with nearly 16,000 volunteers.

“We are expecting nearly 25,000 people to come forward and participate in the drive,” GVMC Commissioner G. Lakshmisha said on Thursday, after chairing a meeting with corporators, floor leaders and regional coordinators of the civic body. The campaign will be held at 40 places along the city’s coastline beginning from Naval Coastal Battery and going all the way up to Bheemunipatnam.

“Volunteers will be given gloves, masks, bins and drinking water. After the campaign ends, the collected trash would be weighed and sent to the dumping yard for recycling,” Mr. Lakshmisha said, appealing to the members to ensure that no plastic banners or flexies are erected for the programme.

The State government, along with a US-based NGO called Parley for the Oceans, in association with the GVMC is conducting the programme.

Three special officers have been appointed to monitor the campaign. College students and members of NGOs and Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) are expected to join the campaign in large numbers.

MLA Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao and MLC V. Kalyani were present.

Collector A. Mallikarjuna inspected the arrangements at the AU Convention Centre, where Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is scheduled to attend a programme to sign an MoU with Parley for the Oceans to set up a plastic recycling plant. On the occasion, the Chief Minister will also issue certificates to students who have completed Microsoft-certified courses.