Prime minister urges pilgrims to maintain cleanliness in Chardham Yatras and keep the pious Dhams rid of plastic and filth in his MAN KI BAAT

Prime minister Narendra Modi in his “Mann Ki Baat”, address to countrymen today among other issues, mentioned about the ongoing Chardham holy Yatra highlighting the complaints being posted in social media about tourists spreading plastic and other unwanted waste urging one and all to keep these holy places neat and clean especially when some devotees are sad about the filt being spread during these holy pilgrimages. Prime minister Narendra Modi said the holy pilgrimage of ‘Char-Dham’ in Uttarakhand is currently underway in our country. Thousands of devotees are reaching every day at ‘Char-Dham’, especially in Kedarnath. People are sharing happy experiences of their ‘Char-Dham Yatra’. But, I have also seen that some devotees are very sad because of the filth being spread by some pilgrims in Kedarnath. Many people have expressed their views on social media as well. He said, going on a holy pilgrimage and coming across a heap of filth there is not right. However, in the midst of these complaints, one is getting to see many good pictures too added prime minister Modi. Where there is faith, there is also creation and positivity. There are many devotees who are worshiping in the Dham of Baba Kedar as well as performing the sadhna of cleanliness. Some are cleaning near the place of stay, while others are cleaning garbage along the travel route said PM Modi . Many organisations including voluntary organisations are also working there along with the Swachh Bharat campaign team. Prime minister Modi said just as a pilgrimage is important here, equally important is ‘teertha sewa’ as has been mentioned further adding that without ‘teertha sewa’, a pilgrimage is also incomplete.

There are many people in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand who are engaged in the ‘sadhana’ of cleanliness and service. You will be greatly inspired by Shriman Manoj Bainjwal hailing form Rudra Prayag said he. He further said, for the last 25 years, Manoj ji has taken it upon himself to look after the environment. Apart from running the campaign of cleanliness, he is also engaged in making holy places plastic free. While, Surendra Bagwadi ji hailing from Guptkashi  has also made cleanliness his life mantra. In  Guptkashi, he regularly runs cleanliness programmes, and I have learned that he has also named this campaign as ‘Mann Ki Baat’ said PM Narendra Modi. Lauding the initiatives a woman of a Garhwal village PM Modi said similarly, Champa Devi from village Devar has been teaching waste management to women of the village. Champa ji has planted hundreds of trees and through sheer hard work she has set up a stretch of forest full of greenery said the PM. He further said friends, through the efforts of such people the divinity of Dev Bhoomi and holy places has been maintained…We go there to experience it, so it is our responsibility to maintain this divinity and spirituality. PM Modi while said along with ‘Chardham Yatra’ in our country, there will be many yatras like ‘Amarnath Yatra’, ‘Pandharpur Yatra’ and ‘Jagannath Yatra’ in the coming times. In the month of Sawan, some fair or the other is held, perhaps in every village.

Emphasising on cleanliness and purity of Char Dham destinations prime minister Narendra Modi said said wherever we go, let us maintain the dignity of these pilgrimage sites. Purity, cleanliness and a pious environment… we should never forget these and for that, it is imperative that we abide by the resolution of cleanliness. Stressing on the need to protect our environment he added, a few days later, the world will celebrate the 5^th of June as  ‘Environment Day’. We should run positive  environment campaigns around us as this is a never ending task. He urged the countrymen that they should join everyone together in order to make some effort for cleanliness and tree plantation. Plant a tree yourself and inspire others too he emphasised.

It may be recalled that several enlightened citizens of the country like Dr. Anoop Nautiyal of Dehradun, Uttarakhand has always been vocal on making Uttarakhand, land of abode of Gods devoid of filth, plastics and rubbish through his incessant campaign to not only aware and mobilise thousands of pilgrims coming to Chardham Dham but also to the government authorities. He is extremely active in social media on his incessant campaign to keep Uttarakhand clean n devoid of filth, garbage and plastic etc. Through one of his significant tweets amongst several others, he wrote : If fifty lakh pilgrims come for 2022# ChardhamYatra, spend average 10 days n 50% by three water bottles per day, 7.5 crore bottles of plastic would get sold in 6 months. Apart from water, we have soft drinks, tetra pack juices etc. My wish is to ensure collection n recycling of maximum plastic bottles! tweeted Dr. Nautiyal.