Students and sanitation workers take part in the cleanliness drive held as a part of the Swachhta Hi Seva campaign at Ajith Singh Nagar in Vijayawada on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: K.V.S. GIRI Vijayawada Central Constituency MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao said it is important to keep one’s house and surroundings clean and extend the same care to the city one lives in. Mr. Umamaheswara Rao, who took part as one of the chief guests in the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ programme, organised by the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC), at the Makineni Basava Punnayya Stadium in Ajith Singh Nagar on Tuesday, September 17, also highlighted the importance of enhancing greenery in the city. Swachh Andhra Corporation MD Gandham Chandrudu, also a chief guest, emphasised the importance of individuals’ roles and responsibilities in keeping their city clean. Later, VMC Commissioner H.M. Dhyanachandra thanked the citizens for their cooperation in getting the city 3rd, 5th, and 6th ranks in the Swachh Bharat rankings and urged everyone to participate in the programme, which will be held till October 2. The guests planted saplings, picked up brooms and cleaned the surroundings as part of the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ campaign. They also flagged off a rally from the stadium to raise public awareness about cleanliness, and Swachh Vijayawada brand ambassador G. Samaram released a poster. Meanwhile, the sanitiser bottles distributed among the public on the occasion were found to be expired. When asked, the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH), VMC, P. Ratnavali, said it could have been a mistake and that she would look into it. Published – September 17, 2024 08:39 pm IST