In pursuit of ‘Mission Swachh Bharat’, the Khammam Municipal Corporation (KMC) has lined up a slew of initiatives such as introduction of mechanised sweeping machine, dumper placers, and compactors, besides ‘She-toilets’, under the KMC limits at an estimated cost of ₹2.30 crore.
The KMC has devised an action plan to adopt mechanisation to ensure systematic collection of garbage, one of the objectives of Swachh Bharat Abhyian.
Khammam was upgraded into a municipal corporation during the previous Congress regime in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh five years ago. However, the civic infrastructure in several colonies, particularly the gram panchayats those merged with the corporation, continues to remain underdeveloped till date. Khammam has vied for a place in the list of smart cities under the Centre’s Smart Cities Mission, but in vain. It was included in the Centre’s Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme.
The State government’s reported allocation of ₹100 crore to the KMC came as a boon to the corporation, which has drawn up ambitious plans to upgrade civic infrastructure facilities and improve amenities in Khammam.
Khammam MLA Puvvada Ajay Kumar prevailed upon the government to sanction the requisite machinery and vehicles to facilitate mechanised garbage collection and disposal, besides road sweeping under the KMC limits. The State government has sanctioned a road sweeping machine costing about ₹37 lakh, 20 mini-trucks each costing about ₹4.5 lakh, and other necessary equipment for mechanised operations.
The civic authorities led by KMC Commissioner B. Srinivasa Rao have prepared a proposal to introduce mobile toilets at public places where people converge in large numbers during festivities, meetings and other important occasions.
In another key initiative, the KMC has identified five main centres in the town, including Railway Station Road, Yellandu crossroads and Gandhi Chowk, for setting up of women-friendly She-toilets soon, sources said. Plans are afoot to press into service a sophisticated road sweeping machine and new vehicles to ensure systematic collection and disposal of garbage for improving the sanitary conditions, said P. Ajay Kumar, MLA, Khammam. The new vehicles and road sweeping machine among other facilities will be inaugurated by Minister for Municipal Administration K.T. Rama Rao soon, he said.
