CM Naidu calls for plastic-free Andhra, links excessive use to cancer risk
Addressing a meeting in Tirupati as part of the 'Swarna Andhra-Swachh Andhra' initiative, Naidu said that plastic has become 'the biggest demon" threatening the environment.
The vision lays out a comprehensive framework for economic advancement, social equity, environmental sustainability, and governance excellence.
'To protect the environment, we must chase away this plastic demon. Excessive use of plastic can lead to cancer… No one should fall victim to this," the chief minister said.
From toothbrushes to the plates we eat from, he pointed out that plastic has become a part of daily life, adding that common items like water bottles, cups, and covers are harmful.
He further claimed that 'plastic pollution is contaminating the soil", hindering the percolation of rainwater, and causing other environmental issues.
Naidu announced plans to make the state secretariat plastic-free by August 15, extend this initiative to all municipalities by October 2, and implement it across the state by December.
Calling on every citizen to be part of the 'Swachh Andhra' mission by keeping their homes and surroundings clean, he also promised to clear all piled-up garbage across the state by October.
The chief minister noted that the TDP-led NDA government had approved solar panel installations for 20 lakh homes, turning rooftops, offices, and fields into hubs of solar energy.
'I'm focusing on green energy. With global warming triggering multiple challenges, green energy is the only solution," he said.
Criticising YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy, Naidu alleged that the latter 'created chaos" during a recent visit to Bangarupalyam by 'dumping mangoes" on the road while meeting farmers.
Naidu said the NDA alliance government came to the rescue of mango farmers by ensuring a payment of Rs 12,000 per tonne—Rs 4,000 from the government and Rs 8,000 from buyers.
Earlier, during a visit to an integrated waste processing plant at Tukivakam village in Tirupati, the chief minister directed officials to make Andhra Pradesh 'a national model in waste processing and utilisation." PTI STH SSK
view comments
First Published:
July 19, 2025, 21:15 IST
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Print
4 minutes ago
- The Print
Dear Tesla buyers, Don't crib about high tariffs. They have helped Indian auto industry
This immediately set off a firestorm on social media, with everyone taking potshots, especially at Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, because of the high import duties. It's an unfair criticism because import duties on automobiles, or tariffs, have been around forever. And India has a vibrant automotive industry. One that employs over 20 million people. The similar Model Y starts at $37,500 in the US, although a better comparison would be to the £44,990 it costs in the United Kingdom. These translate to Rs 32.3 lakh and Rs 52.1 lakh respectively. The car, which is being imported from the company's Berlin megafactory, is so much more expensive in India because of the high duties on fully-built-up imported vehicles. Let me address the electric elephant in the room, right away. Earlier this week, the Elon Musk-helmed Tesla Motors opened their first showroom—call it an 'experience centre'— in Mumbai's Bandra-Kurla Complex. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis did the honours, although Musk himself did not attend. Before the inauguration, Tesla India opened bookings on their website and smartphone application, with their only product in India, the Model Y SUV, starting at Rs 58.89 lakh and a long-range variant at Rs 67.89 lakh. In fact, the government's duty structure encourages manufacturers to at least assemble—if not manufacture—their products in India. Take the Model Y's direct competitor in the global and Indian market, the BMW iX1. Launched by BMW India in January this year, it's reportedly flying off the shelves, with over 200 units sold every month, with a 3-4 month waitlist. But since BMW assembles the car at its factory in Chennai, and even incorporates some local parts like tires, rubber lining, carpets, and seats, it's able to price the iX1 at just Rs 49 lakh. Better still, it is the long-wheelbase variant, unique to the Indian market in its right-hand drive. For comparison, the regular wheelbase iX1 in the UK costs £43,295, which amounts to Rs 50.1 lakh. So, the BMW is not only more affordable in India but also more practical, thanks to the long wheelbase. It is the same story with Mercedes-Benz India, which assembles its EQS sedan and SUV at the Chakan plant. Astonishing speed of Tata While 'heavy' manufacturing, like panel stamping and shell welding, is not happening in India for these global brands just yet, Indian manufacturers are already doing it. Earlier this year I had visited the new Mahindra electric vehicle manufacturing facility at Chakan that employs over a thousand people, many of them women. While many parts and components even for these vehicles are imported, particularly from China, a gradual shift towards 'Make In India' is taking place, as Vinnie Mehta, Director General, Automotive Components Manufacturers Association (ACMA) told me recently. I just drove possibly the best 'Made In India' electric vehicle yet, also made in Pune, which proves that Indian manufacturers are right up there with the rest. The Tata Quad-Wheel Drive (QWD) was quite an impressive drive. It has amazing onboard technology, but what really stood out was the dual-motor set-up on the car, one on each axle, producing 158PS at the front and 238PS at the rear. While you can't select four-wheel drive, this system functions more like a mechanical all-wheel drive. When you floor the accelerator, it really moves. If you have seen the Tata Harrier on the road, you know it is a big vehicle. But switch to 'Boost' mode, and you will hit 100 km per hour from a standstill in 6.3 seconds. That is fast for any car, but astonishing for a bulky SUV. And this, despite Tata Motors dialling back the total power output of both motors to around 315-317PS, likely to reduce stress on the battery, motors, and wiring. I could not drive the like a maniac even if I wanted to. And that is when I started to enjoy the onboard tech. Some features felt a bit redundant—a camera mounted on the 'shark-fin' receiver that projects a feed onto the inside rear-view mirror. But the Dolby Atmos-enabled system? Wow. That was special. In-car audio systems have come a long way, but this one stood out. I tested it by listening to classic Hollywood film scores, and it was outstanding. But when I found an open stretch on the Faridabad-Gurugram road, and let the show what it could do, I was steering. At higher speeds, the steering could have been a bit sharper; there is no way to adjust the steering 'feel'. But overall, this electric Harrier was far superior to the diesel version (which makes just 170PS and lacks four-wheel drive). In fact, it was better than the Mahindra XEV 9e and even entry-level luxury EVs—not just in terms of performance but also in onboard tech. Also read: India's EV dreams need freedom from China's stranglehold on rare-earth metals. Start mining Tata Motors (and Mahindra for that matter) have learned from Chinese carmakers such as BYD, which recently dethroned Tesla as the world's leading electric vehicle manufacturer. As an overall combination of interior space, technology and performance, the Tata QWD is an excellent vehicle. The 75 kilowatt-hour battery pack is claimed to be good for over 500 km, but I expect a real-world range of around 450 km and can charge at a maximum of 120 kilowatts at a DC fast charger. It is available in only one 'persona' (as Tata Motors calls their specifications) called Empowered and is priced at Rs 29 lakh. The rear-wheel drive only variant with a 65 kilowatt-hour battery and a real-world range of around 380-400 km, starts at Rs 21.5 lakh. However, I'd go for the Rear-Wheel Drive Empowered Persona, as it is the only variant that gets the Dolby Atmos-enabled audio system (it is really that good), priced at Rs 27.5 lakh. That said, the is not for erveryone, it is a pricey vehicle but one hopes that as Indian manufacturers, and the Indian arms of global manufacturers absorb skills, they will start making better vehicles and more affordable ones. Just look at what is happening in China. While some consumers will understandably complain about high tariffs, those very tariffs have allowed Indian manufacturers to gain skills. Yes, many components for EVs like the Tata are still imported, and China's restrictions on rare-earth motors and lithium batteries may hurt India in the short term. But that only proves that we have to build our own manufacturing capabilities, including components. We can't achieve that through imports; we have to indigenise and get foreign manufacturers to do more of their manufacturing in India. Kushan Mitra is an automotive journalist based in New Delhi. He tweets @kushanmitra. Views are personal. (Edited by Ratan Priya)
New Indian Express
4 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Development of smaller states crucial for Modi's 2047 vision, says Shah
RUDRAPUR: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday stressed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious target of creating a 'developed India' by 2047 cannot be realised without the comprehensive development of Uttarakhand and northern states in general. Speaking as the chief guest at the Rs 1 lakh crore grounding ceremony of the 2023 Global Investor Summit in Rudrapur, Shah emphasised the pivotal role of smaller states in national progress. 'Until our country's smaller and eastern states advance, there will be no equitable development across the nation,' the Shah expressed, highlighting the Centre's focus on these regions. He further asserted the potential of the hill state, citing its spiritual significance. Highlighting the nation's economic progress, the Home Minister stated that India is poised to become the world's third-largest economy by 2027. 'The rapid pace of development, our service sector exports doubling and a 76% increase in overall exports have made us the fastest-growing economy,' Shah asserted. Shah then seized the opportunity to draw a sharp contrast between the state of affairs under BJP rule and that on the watch of a Congress and Opposition government. He highlighted that while the Opposition, in power from 2004 to 2014, had allocated a sizeable sum of Rs 53,000 crore to Uttarakhand, the current Modi government, during its tenure from 2014 to 2024, has provided a significantly larger amount of Rs 1.86 lakh crore. He took a sharp jibe at the Opposition, remarking, 'When a state develops, the Opposition's work is akin to throwing bones into the sacred fire...'
NDTV
4 minutes ago
- NDTV
"Speak In Marathi": Fight Over Seat In Mumbai Local Turns Into Language Row
Mumbai: A seemingly small fight over a seat in a Mumbai local train escalated into a full-blown language row earlier this week, with one woman telling the other to learn Marathi or "get out". The incident took place on Friday evening in a crowded ladies' coach of the train running on the Central line. A video of the incident went viral on social media, in which six to seven women can be seen arguing over a seat - something that is not strange to a Mumbai local. However, during this time, one woman criticised another passenger for not speaking in Marathi. "If you want to stay in our Mumbai, speak Marathi, otherwise get out," she told her. Soon after, other women in the train also joined the debate. According to officials, the Railway Protection Force and the Government Railway Police are investigating the incident. This comes amid the ongoing language row in Maharashtra, with Raj Thackeray's MNS (Maharashtra Navnirman Sena) party workers being criticised for their continuous targeting and confrontation of people not speaking in Marathi. Earlier this week, a shopkeeper in Mumbai's Vikhroli was assaulted by MNS workers over a WhatsApp status deemed offensive to the Marathi-speaking community. The video shows the shopkeeper being forced to apologise publicly while being threatened and physically attacked. On July 1, MNS workers in Thane slapped a street food vendor for refusing to converse in Marathi. In another incident, a migrant auto-rickshaw driver in Maharashtra's Palghar district was assaulted in full public view by MNS and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) supporters. MNS workers also vandalised businessman Sushil Kedia's office in Mumbai, days after he vowed not to learn Marathi. The incident was captured on camera, in which five to six supporters of Raj Thackeray can be seen throwing what looked like bricks at the office. A security personnel rushed in to stop the attack, but they only stopped after emptying the bags. The businessman later issued an apology.
