‘Swachh Tirtha Campaign’ to transform Assam’s Pilgrimage Sites into Oases of Cleanliness

In an effort to enhance the sanctity of pilgrimage sites, a sweeping cleanliness initiative, the ‘Swachh Tirtha Campaign’, is set to take place in Assam from January 14 to 21. Aligned with the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Urban) initiative under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, this extensive campaign aims to clean temples and religious places across the country.

Under the vigilant supervision of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), Assam, operating under the aegis of the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs in Assam, a comprehensive clean-up endeavor will be launched. The initiative will involve massive cleaning activities at all religious sites in the state and its surroundings. The pivotal details of this initiative were deliberated upon at a review meeting chaired by Minister Ashok Singhal at Janata Bhawan today.

Local bodies and temple management committees or trusts will play a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the campaign by actively engaging local communities and self-help groups. The goal is not only to achieve immediate visible cleanliness but also to enhance overall sanitation and waste management practices.

Urban local bodies will organize dynamic cleanliness campaigns, channeling wartime vigor to maintain and beautify temple premises, including upgrading toilet infrastructure at religious places. The involvement of students, youth, members of self-help groups, as well as NCC and NSS cadets, will be strongly encouraged, fostering a sense of collective responsibility.

The Swachh Tirtha Campaign is inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for collective action to transform Ayodhya into the cleanest city in India. After inaugurating key development projects in Ayodhya on December 30, the Prime Minister issued a clarion call for all pilgrimage sites and temples nationwide to initiate a massive cleanliness campaign from 14th to 21st Jan, 2024.

As the Swachh Bharat Mission declares this week as the Swachh Tirtha Campaign, the campaign seeks to instill a positive change in behavior and attitude towards maintaining religious and spiritual premises and their surrounding areas clean and free of garbage.