Kuderu: The Swarna Andhra Swachh Andhra programme, themed “Clean Air Let’s Improve Air Quality and Build a Healthy Future,” was held at Kuderu mandal headquarters on Saturday, drawing wide public participation.

Anantapur MP Ambika Lakshminarayana, District Collector O Anand, and State Swachhandra Corporation Director P Bhavani Ravikumar led the campaign, which began with a cycle rally from Bhagavathi Function Hall to the main road to promote awareness on environmental protection.

The MP and Collector inspected the Waste-to-Wealth Centre and directed officials to enhance compost production and marketing.

They also planted saplings and administered the Swachh Andhra pledge to participants.

Addressing the gathering, MP Ambika Lakshminarayana said the initiative, launched under the vision of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, has turned into a people’s movement.

She expressed pride that Andhra Pradesh ranked first in the Swachh Bharat Mission and that Anantapur district stood top in the state’s Swachh Andhra implementation.

She urged citizens to maintain clean homes, use eco-friendly bags, and plant trees, calling tree plantation a “mass movement.”

Collector O Anand said only nine per cent of the district is under green cover and stressed that every citizen must plant and protect at least one tree.

He highlighted the benefits of PM Surya Ghar Yojana and PM Kusum Scheme, encouraging people to adopt solar energy.

Cloth bags and saplings were distributed, and volunteers were felicitated during the event.