In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cleanliness initiative — Swachchh Bharat (Clean India), Gujarat Government has appointed an expert agency to keep eight major pilgrimage sites, including Somnath and Dwarka neat and clean.
A tripartite agreement was also signed by Gujarat Government, Gujarat Pilgrim-
age Development Board (GPDB) and national-level agencies to keep pilgrimage sites — Ambaji, Palitana, Girnar, Dakor, Shamalaji, Pavagadh, Dwarka and Somnath — clean. The personnel to be deployed by the agencies would keep these pilgrimage sites clean round the clock.
“Devotees expect the pilgrimage places to be clean. Gujarat has taken the lead in India to keep the eight pilgrimage places across the State clean. As per the agreement, not only temples but also the connecting paths of the temples and temple campus will also be kept clean in these eight pilgrimage sites,” said Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
Along with 1.86 lakh sq. meter area in Somnath, approximately 11 lakh sq. meter area would be kept clean by the appointed agencies, said the Chief Minister, adding that the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and awareness of people with comprehensive initiative of Gujarat to join Swachch Bharat Abhiyaan would be fulfilled.
“Tourists visiting these pilgrimage sites would themselves become Gujarat's brand ambassador after observing cleanliness at our pilgrimage places. We are determined to make Gujarat number one in India in cleanliness,” said Rupani.
On this initiative, Gujarat’s Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said that awareness towards cleanliness was gaining momentum due to Mahatma Gandhi Swachchta Mission.
“It is the first ever campaign in the history of Gujarat to maintain round the clockcleanliness at pilgrimage places,” said Raju Dhruv, vice-president of GPDB.