Ongole: District Collector P Raja Babu stated that Prakasam district has received three Swachh Andhra State-level awards as part of Swachh Andhra - Swarna Andhra programme.

Addressing a press conference at the Collectorate on Thursday, the Collector further informed the district had secured three state-level awards and 49 district-level awards across 17 categories, including clean cities, mandals, gram panchayats, schools, hospitals, offices, farmers’ markets, bus stations, and industries.

He explained that the Swachh Andhra Incentive Awards, instituted by the State government in 2025 under Swarna Andhra - Swachh Andhra (SASA) programme, recognise exemplary work in sanitation activities. He appreciated the award recipients for their demonstrated excellence in solid and liquid waste management, cleanliness in public spaces, enforcement of the single-use plastic ban, RRR (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) practices, and sustainable methods.

Raja Babu explained that the three-phase evaluation process included self-assessment, district officer inspection, and third-party assessment. He stated that RL Puram in Chimakurti mandal won Swachh Gram Panchayat award, while Veera Brahmendra Mahila Samakhya of Kanigiri received Best Swachh Slum Level Federation award. Additionally, CHC Chimakurthy was honoured with Swachh Hospital award at State level. He announced that Kanigiri Municipality won in Clean Municipality category. At the same time, Rythu Bazaar at Kothapatnam bus stand centre in Ongole was recognised as the best farmers’ market. The RTC bus station in Ongole was honoured as best bus station at district level, alongside other award winners, including sanitation workers M Venkat from Ongole Municipal Corporation and T Haribaabu from Markapur Municipality. The collector informed that the State-level award distribution ceremony will be held in Vijayawada on October 6. District officials, including ZP CEO Chiranjeevi, DPO M Venkateswara Rao, and Municipal Commissioner K Venkateswara Rao also attended the press conference.