Gujarat govt to hold cleanliness drive at religious places to mark Ayodhya temple consecration

A Gujarat government agency on Friday announced to launch a cleanliness drive at various places of religious worship across the state to mark the consecration of Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22. The Gujarat Pavitra Yatradham Vikas Board made this announcement.

The board's secretary, R R Raval, said in a statement that the cleanliness drive is being held from January 1 to 22, and it will cover all small as well as large places of religious worship located in cities and rural areas of Gujarat.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently gave a call that all the temples and pilgrimage sites must undertake a comprehensive seven-day cleanliness drive from January 14 in view of the Ram temple consecration at Ayodhya on January 22.

Honouring the call of the PM, the state government has decided to clean all the religious places in Gujarat between January 14 and 22, said the release.

Under this drive, the main campus along with the adjoining spaces as well as pathways leading to the religious places will be cleaned properly and it will be ensured that the garbage is disposed of in an appropriate manner, the release said.

All the district collectors have been given instructions on how the cleanliness drive should be carried out with the help of the office-bearers of political parties, cooperative societies, religious organisations and students.

The board also appealed to all sections of the society to participate in this movement of cleaning religious places.

One of the key objectives of the board is to maintain pilgrimage places and carry out various developmental works and create new facilities at the places of religious importance.