Wanaparthy: Underthe leadership of Union Bank of India, Lead Bank Office, Wanaparthy, a Swachh Bharat programme was carried out in the surroundings of Amma Cheruvu Tank Bund in the morning on Saturday.

On this occasion, officials, locals, Agniveer training aspirants, and others participated and pledged to follow cleanliness practices, spread awareness among others about maintaining clean surroundings, and work towards building a plastic-free, garbage-free society.

As part of the programme, garbage around the tank bund was cleaned, and plastic covers and other waste were shifted to the dumping yard by tractor.

Speaking on the occasion, the Additional Collector said that only by keeping villages and towns clean can we build the clean and healthy India envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi. He stressed that maintaining cleanliness helps prevent diseases. People should voluntarily reduce the use of plastic, he said, warning that plastic waste damages the environment by blocking water absorption into the soil.

“Citizens should also keep their surroundings clean, dispose of wet and dry waste separately in municipal vehicles, and not dump waste on roads or into drains,” he said.

He urged people to focus on avoiding single-use plastics. Dirty surroundings breed mosquitoes and flies, leading to many health problems. Illnesses force people to spend their hard-earned money on hospitals, he said, whereas cleanliness safeguards health and contributes to financial well-being.