Anantapur Intensifies Desilting, Sanitation Drive Ahead of Monsoon

Anantapur:The Anantapur Municipal Corporation (AMC), along with the adjoining gram panchayats, has intensified a month-long sanitation and desilting drive to improve urban sanitation, prevent waterlogging during monsoon and ensure public health standards.

As part of this work, authorities are clearing silt, garbage, plastic waste and other rotten matter from main sewers and stormwater drains across the city. Special teams equipped with excavators, tractors and cleaning machines were deployed to various regions to carry out the work in case of war.

The city’s main sewer, which stretches for over a kilometer along the NH-44 service road near Tapovanam Ring Road, is being cleared for the first time since the highway was built a decade ago. Even though the area falls under the jurisdiction of both AMC and Narayanapuram gram panchayat, AMC officials took up cleaning of the drains as part of the special work.

Sources said the sewers have not been cleaned for over a decade, resulting in frequent flooding of highways and service roads even during moderate rainfall. More than 50 truckloads of silt have been removed from the Tapovanam canal during the ongoing operation.

Gram panchayat officials said iron and cement sheets blocking the drain were removed with the help of JCBs to facilitate cleaning of accumulated waste.

In addition to cleaning drains, the campaign also includes removal of garbage from sensitive areas, clearing of obstructions blocking drainage channels, regular monitoring of cleanliness standards and sanitation awareness programmes.

Officials said silo cleaning work has been prioritized ahead of monsoon to minimize the risk of flooding and water stagnation in low-lying areas. The removed silt is transported to designated disposal areas to prevent secondary pollution.