Though the city has lost the race under the smart city challenge programme, the Ongole Municipal Corporation is leaving no stone unturned to implement the city Facelift programme with full vigour to improve the quality of life for the denizens and better its chance of getting smart city tag at least in the next phase.
“Without any additional financial commitment to the 140-year-old civic body, we have taken up the beautification of the city by roping in interested voluntary organisations,” says Municipal Commissioner S.Venkatakrishna having a look at the life-like paintings on the OMC walls done by painters led by Rangula Sandhya from the Rangula Arts Gallery.
In a welcome change, the compound walls of, among other public places, the district Collectorate, which has been tarnished by obscene wall posters hitherto, are now covered with educative slogans by the Bhoomi Foundation to impress upon the citizens to keep the city green and clean, he proudly says gearing up for the State government’s massive tree plantation drive to plant one crore saplings on a single day in the State on Friday.
Distribution of saplings
“With a view to encouraging each and every householder to take responsibility to nurture the planted saplings, we have distributed free of cost fruit-bearing tree saplings of their own choice and geo-tag them for monitoring their growth as well,” he adds.
Happy over the OMC’s three-month programme to ensure poster-free city making good progress, the Municipal Commissioner has put on notice theatre owners and others defacing public places. “We will not hesitate to take criminal action from now under the Andhra Pradesh Prevention of Disfigurement of Open Places and Prohibition of Obscene and Objectionable and Advertisements Act,” he adds.
Pothole-filling works
Back-breaking potholes, which have remained a permanent problem on the city roads in several stretches, are now a thing of the past, he explains satisfied over the completion of the Rs. 40 lakh pothole-filling works in just three months.
The OMC has put in place an online grievance redressal system. Denizens can call the toll free number 1800-4252858. They can also reach the civic body on Facebook to give their suggestions and follow it on the twitter as well, he informs.
The OMC which had created Wi-Fi zone at its campus is all set to offer Wi-Fi services at the Rangarayuduchervu for the benefit of walkers, he says, adding that over 12,500 conventional streetlights were replaced with energy-efficient LED lamps saving a recurring expense of over Rs.1 crore per year to the civic body.
People of Ongole can get their grievances redressed by calling toll free number 1800-4252858
