The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) sealed a shop on Allipuram main road and imposed a ₹25,000 penalty after officials found waste dumped in a public place, marking a stricter enforcement push against sanitation violations in the city.
GVMC commissioner Ketan Garg, accompanied by south zone zonal commissioner Mallaiah Naidu, inspected sanitation activities along Allipuram main road and nearby areas in Wards 32, 33 and 34 on Thursday. The inspection covered waste accumulation prevention measures and door-to-door garbage collection through Clean Andhra Pradesh (CLAP) vehicles.
During the inspection, Garg noticed garbage dumped near Sai Ratna Traders on Allipuram main road. He directed officials to seal the establishment and permit it to reopen only after the prescribed penalty was paid. The municipal action followed the discovery of waste placed in a public area rather than being handed over through the designated collection system.
Garg warned that shopkeepers, commercial establishments and residents found dumping waste on roads, in drains or in public places would face strict action. He instructed businesses to store waste in designated bins and hand it over daily to CLAP vehicles.
The commissioner also directed sanitation officials to identify habitual violators and take action under municipal rules. The instructions extend enforcement beyond the single shop inspected in Allipuram, placing responsibility on commercial establishments and residents to use the city’s scheduled waste collection arrangements.
Garg called for closer monitoring of CLAP vehicle trips to assess whether waste collection is being carried out efficiently in residential and commercial areas. He directed officials to prepare a systematic collection schedule under which CLAP vehicles would cover residential areas during their initial trips and commercial establishments in subsequent rounds.
Public health officials were asked to conduct regular field inspections and monitor sanitation standards in the inspected wards and surrounding areas. The exercise is intended to support the GVMC’s efforts to prevent waste accumulation and maintain sanitation along roads and in public spaces.
The commissioner reiterated that the GVMC would not tolerate negligence or violations of sanitation norms. Officials are expected to continue field inspections, monitor collection schedules and take action against establishments and residents found violating municipal sanitation rules.
