Vijayawada, Spt 16 (UNI) The Government of Andhra Pradesh has embarked on an ambitious plan to tackle legacy waste by clearing 85.90 lakh metric tonnes of old dumps by October 2, 2025.
Furthermore, the Government has also targeted to clear an additional 30 lakh metric tonnes of garbage by December 2025. The reclaimed land will be reused productively, with recovered soil processed into compost and Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) supplied to cement factories.
The second day of the District Collectors’ Conference began in the Secretariat today at Amaravati, near here, with a detailed presentation on Swachh Andhra by S Suresh Kumar, Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration & Urban Development. He explained key initiatives related to sanitation, public awareness, and waste management being implemented across the state.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the progress of Swachh Andhra Corporation, Panchayati Raj & Rural Development, Municipal & Urban Development, Pollution Control Board and the Forest Department as part of a session on “Swachh Bharat & Circular Economy.”
Mr. Suresh Kumar apprised that the Government of Andhra Pradesh is implementing a comprehensive action plan in urban development and waste management. He recalled that the State won national awards in Swachh Survekshan 2024 by the Government of India, which is a recognition of the State’s efforts in cleanliness and sustainable waste management.
Alongside this, Waste-to-Energy projects are already operational in Visakhapatnam and Guntur, converting hundreds of tonnes of municipal waste into power daily. New plants are planned in Nellore, Rajahmundry, Kurnool, Kadapa, Vijayawada, and Tirupati, with six projects expected to be fully functional by 2027.
To strengthen integrated waste management, 72 ISWM clusters are being implemented across the state, supported by 417 Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) in rural areas and 108 ISWM projects in urban centres. Construction and demolition waste projects are being revived in Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, and Tirupati, while new initiatives for poultry waste management are also planned.
On the wastewater front, land acquisition is underway for 142 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), requiring 199 acres, to ensure treated water is safely reused in an environmentally sustainable manner.
The Principal Secretary of Municipal Administration emphasised that adopting the circular economy model would ensure environmental protection, optimal land use, water recycling, and resource efficiency, while also creating employment opportunities.
As part of best practices, Suresh Kumar informed that the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat was declared Single-Use Plastic (SUP) Free on August 15, 2025. All district Collectorates and Government offices across the State were directed to achieve SUP-Free status by December 2025, he added.
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