Cleanliness a form of service, faith: PM Modi cites collective efforts from UP village, Amarnath Yatra
New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday highlighted the importance of public participation in cleanliness drives, saying that when keeping a place clean becomes a collective commitment of the people, it can transform not only its surroundings but also the identity and character of the place.
Speaking during the 137th episode of his monthly radio programme, ‘Mann Ki Baat’, PM Modi said, “Cleanliness has a remarkable quality. When the resolve to keep a place clean becomes the people’s own commitment, the transformation is not limited merely to tidiness; it completely changes the identity of that place. Such efforts towards cleanliness in various parts of the country constantly inspire us.”
The Prime Minister mentioned the example of Patwai village in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur, where two friends, Akash and Rohan, noticed that their local surroundings had become increasingly littered with garbage and waste.
“That was all it took; Akash and Rohan picked up garbage bags and set out to clean the area. Gradually, other young people joined them, and a team was formed – named ‘Clean-up Patwai’. These youths have cleaned four Ganga ghats so far and removed over a tonne of plastic waste. They have also cleaned numerous ponds and public spaces,” he said.
PM Modi said similar examples of cleanliness and people’s participation were also witnessed during the recently held Shri Amarnath Yatra, where sanitation workers and pilgrims together contributed to keeping the pilgrimage route clean.
“Thousands of sanitation workers toiled day and night to serve pilgrims along the arduous routes. During this year’s pilgrimage, more than 400 metric tonnes of waste were collected and processed. There was one aspect of this effort that I particularly appreciated: pilgrims themselves became active participants in this cleanliness drive,” he said.
The Prime Minister stated that more than 16,000 pilgrims took a pledge towards cleanliness, while over 10,000 pilgrims were recognised with the ‘Responsible Yatri’ certificate for their contribution and responsible conduct.
“A unique experiment also took place here: dung from the horses and mules used during the pilgrimage was converted into biogas, and this clean energy was used to light the ‘Swachh Jyot’. In essence, cleanliness became a form of service and faith during this holy pilgrimage to Baba Barfani,” he added.
Emphasising that cleanliness plays an important role in shaping the identity of public spaces, PM Modi said people’s behaviour and conduct ultimately determine how villages, cities, rivers and religious sites are perceived.
“Whether it is our villages or cities, our rivers or pilgrimage sites — their identity is shaped by our conduct. And when cleanliness becomes a part of that conduct, the beauty of the place is further enhanced,” he mentioned.
–IANS
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