19-05-2025
Kurnool's desilting drive underway
Kurnool: Kurnool city is undergoing a major sanitation and desilting drive under the direction of State Minister for Industries, Commerce, and Food Processing, TG Bharath. In response to his instructions, municipal authorities have launched extensive operations, deploying over 150 additional personnel alongside regular staff to desilt drains across all city wards. With Rs 1.06 crore invested, each ward now has over 15 dedicated workers focused on clearing major sewage lines. A longstanding issue, the Sudda Vagu drain, is finally being addressed using heavy machinery like JCBs and Hitachis. Similar jungle clearance works are ongoing in the Handri river.
Desilting debris is being repurposed to construct a bund road from Yellamma Temple to Budhavara Peta Bridge, reflecting the Minister's emphasis on efficient resource use. The KC Canal is also being cleaned on his orders. Following recent rains, water drained swiftly from low-lying areas, drawing praise from residents for the improved sanitation. Municipal Commissioner YS Ravindra Babu urged citizens to dispose of waste only through municipal vehicles and warned against dumping into canals or building over them, citing public health risks. Complaints about garbage collection can be reported at 7422992299. However, NGO Rajendra Prasad Ananta raised concerns about the lack of protective gear for sanitation workers, warning of health hazards from exposure to medical waste, glass shards, and other harmful materials. He called on the municipal corporation to provide gloves, shoes, and protective suits to safeguard workers' health and prevent potential disease outbreaks like Hepatitis-A.
