Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi on Wednesday launched the Clean India campaign at the Taj Mahal in Agra with an aim of providing hygienic environment in and around monuments and tourist sites to attract more visitors. "We have formulated an action plan to cover at least 36 monuments and tourism sites where the Clean India campaign will be undertaken.
Steps will be taken to enhance beauty, landscaping, and making hygienic friendly atmosphere in and around the sites," Chiranjeevi said. Taj Mahal is the second World Heritage site to be covered under the campaign which will be carried out by ONGC at this monument. Earlier the Ministry had launched the pilot project under Clean India campaign at Qutab Minar on June 19 last year to be handled by ITDC.
Seeking the participation of the corporate sector in this endeavour, Chiranjeevi said, "The corporate sector can play a big role in the process by identifying monuments and ensuring hygienic and clean environment surrounding them as part of their corporate social responsibility."
Appreciating Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for his commitment to the cause, he said, "We have allocated Rs 24 crore for cleaning of the Varanasi ghats. The UP chief minister has promised total support and also allocated an additional amount of Rs 22 crore for the same."
ONGC will be responsible for keeping the heritage site clean and environment-friendly besides taking care of landscaping and providing drinking water facilities, management of garbage clearance, maintaining uniform signages in and around premises and placing of aesthetically-designed garbage bins.
Besides Taj Mahal, the ONGC has also agreed to adopt five more monuments including Ellora and Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, Red Fort in the national capital, Golkonda Fort in Hyderabad and Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu, said a senior Tourism Ministry official. It will also help in setting up tourist help desks and deployment of volunteers for better management among others at these sites.
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