Collector pedals around to check state of district HQ

Parvathipuram: Little did people realise that collector Nishant Kumar of the newly-carved Parvathipuram Manyam district will be going to actually assess the living conditions in the district headquarters of Parvathipuram when he set out from his camp office on the outskirts of Parvathipuram on a bicycle at dawn on Monday. Everyone assumed he was going for a bicycle ride.

However, he went around Parvathipuram town on a bicycle. The town people thought he looked familiar but couldn't recognise him. They learnt who he was when the municipal commissioner and other staff rushed to the location.

For the last few days, the collector had been under the impression that the town was not up to the standards of the district headquarters. On his bicycle, he assessed the town's sanitation, road conditions, drainage system, stray animals moving around on the main roads and the maintenance of the statues of national leaders among other things. He was so dissatisfied when he first saw Swami Vivekananda's statue that he personally started cleaning it. He told municipal commissioner of Parvathipuram P Simhachalam that since the town had become the administrative centre of the district, it should be kept clean in all aspects. The roads must be kept clean, and sanitation must be maintained. The dividers are needed to be painted. He spotted animals roaming on the roads making them dirty and may cause accidents. He ordered the commissioner to raise awareness among animal owners and if they don't come forward to regulate the animals they should be confined in a site like Goshala.

When the collector saw the state of Varahalu Gedda, the stream passing through the town, he ordered the officials to keep the stream clean to avoid inconvenience during the rainy season or in the event of a flood. He emphasised the importance of desilting and maintaining the drainage systems. He stated that the district headquarters needed an excellent walking track and that the track at Junior College ground might be improved.

Stressing on the importance of honouring the national leaders, the collector instructed them to maintain the statues and monuments every day so that the new generation might be inspired. Later, addressing the media, Nishant Kumar said that since Parvathipuram had become the district headquarters, the town needs to be improved. They should try to give the town a makeover. He said that the potholes on roads have been identified and will be rectified as soon as possible. "I want to see the town change for the better," he said.

He urged the citizens to come forward to keep the city clean and orderly so that hopes can be realised.