NMC steps up efforts to make Nellore garbage-free city

TIRUPATI: Nellore Municipal Corporation (NMC) has stepped up its efforts to make the city garbage and dumpster free by increasing public awareness about handing over rubbish to the civic staff.

The civic body has increased patrols and is imposing fines to discourage citizens from dumping waste in public spaces. Municipal authorities are confident of making the city garbage-free with the combined efforts of people and the civic body.

NMC has already removed nearly half of the garbage dumps and sheds in the city. It is trying to remove the rest while making households and establishments realise that they must adhere to the door-to-door garbage pickup process.

A few residents in some localities are not adhering to this approach. “We have imposed heavy penalties on individuals and businesses whom we have caught dumping garbage on roads. We have also penalised some restaurant owners. NMC will continue to fine everyone who violates the law”, a civic official said.

Nellore city is spread across 150 square kilometres. It generates about 300 metric tonnes of garbage every day. Presently, waste collected from all divisions in the city is dumped at the Bodigadi Thota yard. From there, waste is moved to certain locations on the city outskirts. As part of its efforts towards effective waste management, the civic body is increasing public awareness about segregating wet and dry rubbish at the pick-up point itself.

"Open garbage dumps pose a significant health risk to residents. We can manage waste effectively with combined efforts of residents and the civic body. We can also recycle waste, which can be processed into bio-fertilisers," an NMC official said. He requested citizens to separate wet and dry waste, hand it over to civic staff, and refrain from littering roads.

The civic body has also launched another campaign RRR – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle – to promote sustainable waste management. It has opened centres in the city, where residents can hand over unused or old clothes, footwear, books, newspapers, toys, plastic and e-waste. These are to be reused or recycled as part of “Meri LiFE, Mera Swachh Shehar” campaign.