The State government is focusing on utilisation of alternate source of energy in a big way. Towards this, efforts are on to establish one waste to energy plant in each district, besides installation of LED streetlights in municipalities and corporations in the State.

To begin with, LED streetlights would be installed in Vijayawada, Tirupati and Nellore by February next year. This would be followed by installation of similar streetlights in municipalities and corporations by June, said Municipal Administration Minister P. Narayana here on Friday.

Already, 85,000 LED streetlights have been installed in Visakhapatnam and the rest 10,000 would be installed very soon.

On the waste-to-energy plants, the Minister said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had specifically instructed him and a few senior authorities to study the feasibility of taking up such projects in the State during a recent tour to Japan and Singapore.

It is not just about generating power, such projects also aid in recycling of paper, rubber and other materials dumped in the garbage as there will be provision for segregation and putting the waste materials to good use, he said while addressing at the foundation stone laying ceremony for a 10 MLD sewerage treatment plant at Autonagar.

The Chief Minister is very particular about provision of basic amenities such as drinking water, power to residents. Vijayawada gets 158 MLD of drinking water everyday, of these 130 MLD is surface water from river Krishna and the rest is drawn from borewells. But there are complaints of drainage water getting mixed with bore water from residents.

To address this, a detailed project report is being prepared to supply additional 48 MLD from river Krishna to Vijayawada. The government is committed in completing this project at the earliest and ensure quality drinking water to the city, he added.

Irrigation Minister D. Umamaheswara Rao said the city was under Capital Regional Development Authority (CRDA) and this would pave way for more development of the city. He said Republic Day celebrations would be celebrated in the city and measures would be taken to establish an NTR Canteen in Autonagar.
CRDA regulations

Mr. Narayana said the rules and regulations under CRDA would be framed in a week or 10 days. Special care would be taken to address the concerns of all sections, especially farmers and tenant farmers while preparing the rules.

Source: TH