https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Integrated Efforts are Needed to Safeguard Environment, says Vizag’s Collector 

Indian Masterminds Stories

India, too, is observing World Environment Day today along with the rest of the world, with various functions and steps to mark the occasion. Government, NGOs and numerous private organisations are at the forefront, leading the initiatives and pledging to do their bit to protect the environment. 

In Vishakhapatnam, the day started with the banning of plastic from today and further saw cleaning of beaches and planting of 1 lakh saplings. This is just the beginning! The plan is to plant 10 lakhs trees before 31 July this year. 

All this is taking place under the guidance of District Collector Dr. Mallikarjuna. In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds today, he explained why integrated efforts are needed to save the environment. 

ENROLLING PSU AND PUBLIC DEPT

Dr. Mallikarjun is very sensitive towards the environment and had taken steps for its conversation during all his previous postings. This time in Vizag, he decided to initiate a massive plantation drive and took a target of 10 lakhs trees in two months. Talking about it, he said, “After few meetings within the administration, we chose this target and decided to start it on Environment Day. Choosing this time for the plantation was crucial, as planting trees is not the biggest task. Maintenance and sustainability of the trees are way more important. We will complete the target before 31st July so that the plants can get all the benefits of monsoon.”

The target is big, so the district administration has involved all the 13 PSUs, Greater Vishakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, Vishakhapatnam Metro Region Development Authority, schools, welfare hostels, local forest department and village and ward secretariats. All of them have been given specific targets which they have to complete on Environment Day and then during the rest of the campaign. 

“Municipal Corporation has been given target of 15,000 plantation and PSUs have been given 35,000 for day one. The PSUs can choose any barren or vacant land for the plantation,” Dr. Mallikarjuna said. 

The district administration is not providing them any funds for procurement of plants. The PSUs have their Corporate Environment and Corporate Social Responsibilty funds while the Municipal Corporation is self-sufficient. 

DM

There are 4 lakhs saplings with the district administration which will be provided to village secretariat, schools, etc., and all those who don’t have extra funds. All these distributions are to be taken care of by the Social Forestry Department. 

Dr. Mallikarjuna also mentioned that everyone involved in the drive has been directed to avoid plantation of Conocarpus plants and focus on the plants that give shade. 

PLASTIC BAN

From today, plastic with less than 75 macrons has been banned in Vizag as per the NGT orders. The district administration is already running campaigns on roads and public places to create awareness about the effects of plastic on environment. 

“We are late than many cities, but we want it to be effective. Our plan is working and all those campaigns through loudspeakers and gatherings are working. People are already coming to shop with cloth bags. We want public to be involved in this decision, otherwise it will go to waste.” 

SAGAR TEERA SWATCHATHA SWACHCHTA CAMPAIGN 

Vizag is famous for beaches. There are huge crowds on the beaches on weekends. However, due to the lack of responsibility on the part of the public, the beaches get littered with garbage. On 15 May, the district administration launched Sagara teera Swatchatha mission.

With the help of 3,000 employees from various departments including police, forest and Navy

etc., almost 65 ton of plastic was collected and sent to material recovery facility. On Environment Day, today, the team went to clean Sagar Nagar Beach. Dr, Mallikarjuna said, “All these climate changes and disruption in environment is the result of 100 years of negligence by humans. We can reverse the impact with a single effort. Integrated effort is must. So, we are focusing on that, trying to set an example amongst public, so that they volunteer in this task to make our planet a better place.” 


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
IRSSE (Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers) officer
IRSSE Gaurav Govil Debarred from Central Deputation for 5 Years Over Non-Compliance with CVO Appointment
Delhi High Court-resized-DelhiHC
Faith vs Discipline: Delhi HC Backs Army in Termination of Officer, Upholds Dismissal For Refusing Religious Parade Participation
IRS Officer Indian revenue Services
Senior IRS Officer Caught in Bribery Case: ₹25 Lakh Seized at Mohali Residence, ₹45 Lakh Demanded – Know the Full Story
PNB Housing Finanace
PNB Housing Finance Elevates Bhavya Taneja as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) - Know More About Him
Air Marshal Jasvir Singh Mann
Air Marshal Jasvir Singh Mann Takes Over as Senior Air Staff Officer, Western Air Command - Know More About Him
Rajgir Sports
Bihar’s Mega Sports Push: Playgrounds, Stadiums & Talent Hunt Transform State; Over 50 Lakh Students Join
Indian Oil IOCL
Indian Oil (IOCL) Finalizes LCOH for India’s Largest Green Hydrogen Plant at Panipat Refinery - Details Inside
RECPDCL Handover WRNES Talegaon Power Transmission Limited SPV to Adani Energy
RECPDCL Hands Over WRNES Talegaon Power Transmission SPV to Adani Energy Solutions - All Details Inside
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
Modernising Governance: A Digital Transformation in Gangtok
IMG-20250523-WA0036
Abhishek Singh's SECRET: Vipassana, Anthropology & Smart Answer Writing | Video Interview 
Madhav Agarwal UPSC
From Gwalior to the Top 20: What Drove Finance Pro Madhav Agarwal to Crack UPSC CSE 2024 with AIR 16? | Exclusive
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
ANUBHAV SINGH UPSC IFS 2024
9 Years, 8 Attempts, 7 Failures: How Anubhav Singh Cracked UPSC IFS 2024 with AIR 3 Against All Odds | Exclusive
Anubhav Singh’s inspiring journey to UPSC IFS Rank 3 showcases relentless perseverance, strategic preparation,...
Jogender Sihag
“I Cleared UPSC, But My Grandfather isn’t Here to Hear it,” Jogender Sihag, AIR 521, UPSC CSE 2024
"Life is short; make the most of it, whether in civil service or any other field. Just have a clear vision...
WhatsApp Image 2025-05-28 at 18.56
Didn’t Clear UPSC But Found Something Greater: A Story That Will Change How You See Success
She left a top finance job for UPSC, did not clear but built a thriving wellness brand instead. Veda's...
Social Media
parveen kaswan elephant
Elephant Outsmarts Electric Fence! IFS Parveen Kaswan Shares Incredible Video!
In the now-viral 51-second clip, the intelligent giant approaches a wooden pole supporting high-voltage...
UPSC Latest IAS IPS IFS
UPSC CSE Prelims 2025 Tomorrow: ICLS Officer Altap Shaikh Shares Last-Minute Motivation for Aspirants
His five-post thread offers encouragement, practical advice, and emotional support - not just for those...
Anupam Sharma IFS
#BoycottTurkey: IFS Officer Anupam Sharma Sparks Nationalist Call to Action
IFS Sharma urged citizens to avoid Turkish agricultural imports
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Harry Hobbs of Kolkata and Other Forgotten Lives
Nine Colonial Lives That Shaped Calcutta: Devasis Chattopadhyay’s Fascinating Chronicle | Book Review
IRSSE (Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers) officer
IRSSE Gaurav Govil Debarred from Central Deputation for 5 Years Over Non-Compliance with CVO Appointment
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
IMG-20250523-WA0036
Madhav Agarwal UPSC
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT