Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA, Sept 3: The Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, GoI, released its rankings of Swachh Iconic Places on Tuesday, in which Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in J&K has been adjudged as the Best Swachh Iconic place in the country.
The Shrine has been adjudged on the basis of the overall improvement in sanitation brought out by the Board due to several initiatives taken in last few years to ensure cleanliness of the entire Shrine area.
The initiatives of water kiosks, Reverse Vending Machines, Equid Dung Management Centre, installation of kill waste machine, collection, transportation and disposal of waste alongwith regular mopping up of waste though a workforce of 1300 sanitation workers (Shrine cadre and outsourced) have enabled the shrine to achieve the top rank.
The Shrine was in direct competition with dozen other Iconic places in the country viz., Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Maharashtra; Taj Mahal, Uttar Pradesh; Tirupati Temple, Andhra Pradesh; Golden Temple, Punjab; Manikarnika Ghat, Varanasi; Ajmer Sharif Dargah, Rajasthan; Meenakshi Temple, Tamil Nadu; Kamakhya Temple, Assam; Jagannath Puri, Odisha; Gangotri; Yamunotri, Uttarakhand; Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ujjain; Char Minar, Hyderabad; Church and Convent of St. Francis of Assissi, Goa; Adi Shankaracharya’s abode Kaladi in Ernakulam; Gomateshwar in Shravanbelgola; Baijnath Dham, Devghar; Gaya Tirth in Bihar; Somnath Temple in Gujarat; Sabarimala Temple (Kerala); Kanvashram (Uttarakhand) etc.
It is pertinent to mention that in the year 2017, the Shrine received special award from Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Govt. of India for remaining second, behind only to the Golden Temple. In 2018, the Shrine was also declared as the cleanest religious place by the India Today Group. The President of India will confer the prestigious award to the Shrine during the Swachh Mahotsav to be organized by the Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation.
The Chairman of SMVDSB and Governor, J&K, Satya Pal Malik has congratulated the CEO and all employees of the Board, particularly those engaged in the sanitation, for bringing recognition to the Board at National level. He also hoped that the Board will continue to strive for excellence and provide best facilities and services to the pilgrims.
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