Clean environment empowers society: Kalam (Hindu New paper 21 December 2011)

Keeping in mind that the hospitality and tourism industry requires convergence of efforts for achieving targeted delivery, the Union Tourism Ministry organised an all-India workshop on “Campaign Clean India” here on Tuesday.
Inaugurating the workshop, former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam said clean environment empowers society. He suggested that the cleanliness drive should be extended to places of worship as a large number of people gather there.
Referring to the Maldives model of tourism, the former President said India can study this model and evolve a total package of turnkey tourist systems to be developed by tourist system partners. These should include maintenance and upkeep of tourist destinations. He also suggested involvement of village panchayats and local self bodies in the campaign.
Presiding over the workshop, Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahai said cleanliness and proper hygiene were universally regarded as indispensable existential norms that must inform and permeate all our actions.
“However, a consciousness in terms of education, demonstration and training is required to be created to ensure that these norms become part of a national psyche, at home and outside it. Conversely, lack of or inadequate personal and environmental cleanliness will have a pull-down impact on the image of the county, the worst hit being the tourism sector where the first impression of a visitor is often his last.”
Noting that the Ministry of Tourism visualises an India that impacts a visitor for its cleanliness and hygiene, Mr. Sahai said the workshop brought together individuals and institutions representing varied interests but their quest was common -- to see the country clean.
Admitting that the cleanliness task will be an onerous one, the Union Tourism Minister said an independent study conducted at five tourist destinations has categorised hygiene and sanitation conditions, solid waste management and provision of hygienically maintained public amenities high in importance but low in satisfaction.
“The campaign will be expected to correct these weaknesses. The success of campaign may decide if the targeted growth specific to tourism would be achieved. This ultimately gets connected to job creations. The campaign is taken as a poverty alleviation strategy too.”
Mr. Sahai said his Ministry will finalise and plan the campaign strategy, incorporating the workshop recommendations by March 31, 2012. The implementation will start from April 1.
Former Union Minister Shatrughan Sinha and star of South Indian films Chiranjeevi offered their whole-hearted support to the campaign.
The “Campaign Clean India” seeks to ensure action at field level to bring our country's tourism destinations and their surroundings to an acceptable level of cleanliness and hygiene.
The campaign will be part of Government's strategy of the 12 {+t} {+h} Plan for improving the quality of services and environs in and around tourist destinations across India