Maharashtra: Religious places cleaned under special drive in Latur

Representational Pic/File

More than 100 religious places were cleaned in Latur district of Maharashtra as part of a special campaign ahead of the Ayodhya temple event, an official said on Saturday, reported the PTI.

The 'Swachh Tirtha' campaign was implemented in urban and rural areas in the last three days which involved government officials, employees, sanitation workers and common people, said Joint Commissioner of Latur municipal administration, Ramdas Kokare, as per the PTI.

Roads leading towards religious places and teerths (pilgrimage sites) were also cleaned.

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During the drive, 10 tons of garbage was collected in the urban area, he added.

Meanwhile, to accord with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's push for temple cleanliness, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has asked district collectors to spearhead a quick cleanliness initiative across the state's temples. The goal is to noticeably improve cleanliness and embellish temples with electric lights within a week of the Lord Ram temple's consecration on January 22, a report in PTI stated.

According to the report, Shinde emphasised the need for fast action during a review meeting convened by him at his official house on Sunday. Each district's District Planning and Development Council (DPDC) has been pushed to give cash for regular temple cleaning, with Shinde proposing a unique system.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a call to keep temples clean. The district collectors in Maharashtra should undertake a cleanliness drive across all the temples and decorate them with electric lights. The change should be visible within a week," CM Shinde was quoted as saying.

In addition, the Chief Minister gave the state revenue department instructions to name a nodal officer to supervise the cleaning drive's advancement. According to the newspaper, the campaign's goal is to support well-kept and beautifully decorated temples throughout Maharashtra, in keeping with Prime Minister Modi's larger national call for temple cleaning.

Recently, CM Shinde was spotted paying obeisance to the Kopineshwar Temple in Thane. After offering prayers, he also participated in a deep cleaning drive and cleaned the temple premises.

On Sunday, he visited a temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman and also participated in a deep cleaning drive in parts of the western suburbs of Kandivali, Borivali and Dahisar East on January 15.

(with PTI inputs)