Andhra Pradesh To Become Garbage-Free By January 1: CM Chandrabau Naidu

Vijayawada: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced that Andhra Pradesh will become a zero-garbage state by January 1, 2026.

Speaking at the Swachha Andhra Awards 2025 held at Tummalapalli Kshetraiah Kalakshetram in Vijayawada, the Chief Minister said the previous government had imposed a garbage tax but failed to ensure waste clearance, leading to the accumulation of nearly 85 lakh metric tonnes of garbage across the state, including Tirumala.

He said the NDA government, after coming to power, immediately abolished the garbage tax and launched a drive to clear the accumulated waste by October 2. Praising the efforts of the Swachha Sainiks, he said they had successfully removed a major portion of the waste, and the remaining 30 lakh metric tonnes would be cleared by December, making Andhra Pradesh garbage-free by the New Year.

The Chief Minister recalled that he had introduced the Clean and Green programme in 1998, the first of its kind in the country. He said he had studied Singapore’s clean and green model and implemented the Night Sanitation Programme in Hyderabad based on that experience.

Naidu emphasized that maintaining cleanliness is a shared responsibility and said students are being encouraged through Green Passports to plant saplings. He also mentioned that the third Saturday of every month is being observed as Swachha Andhra Day to promote cleanliness.

The Chief Minister commended sanitary worker Toudu Raju from Saluru for his dedication to cleanliness and public awareness on waste segregation.

Earlier, Minister for Municipal Administration P. Narayana, Swachh Andhra Corporation Chairman K. Pattabhiram, and Principal Secretary of Municipal Administration and Urban Development S. Suresh Kumar addressed the gathering.

Later, the Chief Minister presented the Swachha Andhra Awards. The Swachha Andhra Corporation distributed 75 awards in 21 categories and 1,257 awards at the district level, recognizing outstanding contributions to the cleanliness mission.