Taj, Dal Lake among 98 sites to be made hygiene-friendly

With an aim of doubling the visitor count, the tourism ministry has decided to provide clean and hygienic environment at 98 prominent tourist sites including Taj Mahal, Dal Lake, Red Fort and India Gate.

With an aim of doubling the visitor count, the tourism ministry has decided to provide clean and hygienic environment at 98 prominent tourist sites including Taj Mahal, Dal Lake, Red Fort and India Gate.

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"Currently there are about six million foreign tourists coming to the country and our aim is to increase it to 12 million," tourism minister Subodh Kant Sahai said, adding "For this we have to provide a hygienic environment around tourist destinations of the country".

Round-the-clock garbage clearance, maintenance of parking lots and toilets and proper signages at the tourist complex are some of the steps to be carried out under the Clean India campaign launched by the ministry.

"We are seeking the involvement of corporates, PSUs and NGOs in the campaign as the project will be carried out in the PPP model," Sahai said.

The campaign in sync with the 12th five year plan has twin objectives-- increase tourist arrivals to the country and improve quality of services in and around tourist destinations across the country.

There are about 14 tourist sites in the capital including India Gate, Connaught Place, Chandni Chowk, Lotus Temple, Jantar Mantar, Rajghat, Purana Qila and Safdarjung Tomb which have been selected to be covered under the project.

Besides Konark, Charminar, Kovalam Beach, Mysore Palace, Golkonda Fort, Ajanta Caves and Mahabodhi Temple, Har ki Pauri, Hawa Mahal are among the 98 chosen destinations.

Clean India campaign is a multi-pronged action and comprehensive strategy to ensure an acceptable level of cleanliness and hygiene practices at tourists destination for an inclusive and sustainable development of tourism through ownership and involvement of private and public sector stakeholders.

"The initiative aims to create a collective persuasion, education, sensitization, training, demonstration, regulation and involvement of every individual," said a senior tourism ministry official involved with the project.