Minister Narayana criticizes YSRCP government over waste management

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

Andhra Pradesh Municipal Administration Minister P. Narayana launched a sharp attack on the previous YSR Congress Party government, alleging that poor sanitation management during its tenure led to a massive accumulation of garbage across the state.

Addressing officials during a review meeting on development works in Nellore district, Narayana described the five-year rule of former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy as mismanagement, claiming that the neglect of urban sanitation resulted in severe waste accumulation in several towns and cities.

The minister said the state government had identified nearly 1.53 crore tonnes of accumulated garbage across Andhra Pradesh. Acting on the directions of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, sanitation drives have been launched on a war footing to address the problem. He said that the government has already cleared about 1.15 crore tonnes of waste so far as part of the large-scale cleanup operation. He said the administration is taking systematic measures to restore sanitation standards in urban areas and prevent further accumulation of waste.

The minister also recalled that during the earlier Telugu Desam Party government, plans had been initiated to establish ten Waste-to-Energy power plants to convert municipal waste into electricity. Two of these plants were completed at that time, he said, alleging that the subsequent YSRCP government failed to continue the projects, which contributed to the worsening garbage situation in the state.

Looking ahead, Narayana said the government is planning to establish modern waste-to-energy plants in major cities under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to ensure scientific waste management and reduce landfill burdens. He emphasized that the government’s long-term objective is to adopt modern and sustainable waste management practices to keep cities clean and environmentally safe.

During the review meeting, the minister also assessed development projects in Nellore district and assured that several pending infrastructure works, including drainage systems and drinking water supply projects, would be completed in the near future.