Former Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana and several government officials took part in the ‘Samoohika Sramadanam’ programme taken up by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) under the ‘Sundara Tirumala - Suddha Tirumala’ initiative on the ghat roads and footpaths here on Saturday. The initiative was aimed at maintaining a hygienic environment atop the temple town.
Mr. N.V. Ramana and TTD Executive Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy flagged off buses carrying TTD employees and volunteers for the programme at the GNC toll gate here. Tirupati district Collector Venkataramana Reddy, SP Parameswar Reddy, Tirupati Municipal Commissioner Haritha, JEOs Sada Bharghavi, Veerabrahmam, CVSO Narasimha Kishore and other dignitaries took part.
About 700 TTD employees, over 200 revenue personnel, Swacchandhra Corporation staff and Srivari Sevaks participated in the programme.
About 1,600 bags of plastic waste was collected from the roads and carried down to the dump yard in Tirupati.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. N.V. Ramana said maintaining hygiene atop the town is a prime responsibility of every visiting pilgrim. He appealed to them to make Tirumala plastic-free and urged everyone to contribute to preserving the sanctity of the place.
Mr. Dharma Reddy said that the lightning strike held by health workers three weeks back gave birth to the idea of organising a mass cleaning program in Tirumala. He said that the programme, henceforth, will be organised every second Saturday of the month.
Undeterred by the strike, he said that the TTD deployed personnel from the panchayats and Municipalities during the strike period to avoid inconvenience to the devotees.
