The famed Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai has been adjudged the best ‘Swachh Iconic Place’ (clean place) in India. Ten spots were identified by the Central government as part of the ‘Swachh Iconic Places’ initiative earlier this year.
The Madurai City Corporation is also set to receive a special award from the Centre as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
District Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao and Corporation Commissioner S. Aneesh Sekhar will receive the award on October 2 from Uma Bharti, the Union Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation.
As part of the recognition as Swachh Iconic Place, a project has been conceived to clean the periphery of the temple, according to Mr. Aneesh Sekhar. It is in the early stages and is slated to be completed by March 2018. The project is estimated to cost ₹11.65 crore and has been sponsored by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity.
“We have been awarded for the swift progress that has been made until now. We are proud that we have been chosen among the 10 iconic places,” he added.
The Madurai Corporation has placed several bins at the distance of 50 metres along the Chithirai streets.
Ambitious target
There are 25 e-toilets and 15 water ATMs for tourists to use. There are two road sweepers and battery-operated vehicles specifically purchased to clean this stretch.
The target before March 2018 would be to make Chithirai, Masi, Avani Moola Streets and Veli Streets – the four concentric squares around the temple – 100% plastic-free, according to the Commissioner.
