Alphons leads cleanliness drive
◗ As part of the ‘ Swachhata Hi Seva’ campaign, the tourism minister swept the premises of Sai Temple on Lodhi Road
New Delhi, Sept. 15: Tourism minister K. J. Alphons led a cleanliness drive Saturday in Sai Temple on Lodhi Road as part of ‘ Swachhata Hi Seva’ campaign here and taught the tenets of cleanliness to a youth whom he found flicking cigarette butt on streets.
The “cleanliness is service” campaign was launched Saturday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who asked people to rededicate themselves to fulfilling Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of a clean India. The campaign will continue till Gandhi’s birth anniversary on October 2.
As part of the campaign, Alphons, who during his last cleanliness drive had cleaned paan stained walls in Janpath market with his bare hands, this time used gloves to sweep the temple premises.
While on his cleaning spree, he stopped when he saw a youth smoking on the street. Upon seeing the minister he flicked his cigarette in the street, but Alphons caught him in the act, said a source who was part of the cleanliness drive.
Severely reprimanding him for both the acts, Alphons then spoke to him about the bad effects of smoking and urged him to give it up, the source said.
Students of various hospitality institutes under the ministry was also part of the cleanliness drive led by the minister. Addressing them, he stressed upon the importance of cleanliness in one’s life.
The minister also said that the Swachhata campaign has brought revolutionary changes in the last four years and helped in reducing pollution level, which in turn increased the health and survivability of citizens, especially children.