GVMC chief gives 30 days to fix sanitation, flags dumping

Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) Commissioner Ketan Garg on Thursday asked public health officials to step up sanitation management across the city and show visible improvements within the next 30 days.

Reviewing sanitation works at a meeting at the GVMC headquarters, Garg said services had improved after more sanitation workers were deployed, but there was still room for improvement. He directed zonal commissioners, assistant medical officers, sanitary supervisors, and sanitary inspectors to intensify monitoring and plug gaps through regular field inspections.

Flagging indiscriminate dumping of waste in public places despite daily collection, the Commissioner told officials to penalise residents and shopkeepers violating sanitation norms. Sanitation workers should report such violations to sanitary inspectors for action, he said.

Garg said additional sanitation workers had already been posted in all zones, and more vehicles would be arranged to transport waste. Shopkeepers must be informed of collection vehicle timings so garbage can be handed over directly, he said, adding that establishments continuing to dump waste outside should be fined.

He also instructed assistant medical officers to carry out daily inspections of night sanitation and ensure staff and garbage vehicles stick to the schedule.

With the monsoon approaching, Garg told officials to desilt drains and canals on priority and take preventive steps to stop overflows during heavy rain. Zonal commissioners were asked to track absentee sanitation workers and address the issue through counselling and supervision.

Additional Commissioner P Nallanayya and Chief Medical Officer E. N. V. Naresh Kumar directed sanitary inspectors to streamline staff deployment and strengthen door-to-door collection. Night sanitation supervisors, sanitation secretaries, and other officials attended the review.