Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 8 Oct: As part of Special Campaign 6.0, the Plant Science Division of ICAR–Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation (ICAR-IISWC), Dehradun, organized a Cleanliness and Awareness Programme at Gucchupani, here, today. The programme was aimed at promoting cleanliness, civic sense, responsible tourism, proper waste management and environmental conservation at public and tourist places.
Gucchupani, a popular tourist destination of Dehradun, is a natural cave associated with a waterbody and attracts a large number of tourists and visitors. Considering the ecological and recreational importance of the site, the programme focused on sensitizing tourists, local street vendors and other stakeholders towards maintaining cleanliness and protecting the natural surroundings.
During the programme, Dr. J. M. S. Tomar, Head, Plant Science Division, interacted with the tourists and visitors and sensitized them about the importance of maintaining cleanliness at tourist places. He emphasized that keeping public and tourist places clean is a collective responsibility and that responsible behaviour by visitors is essential for preserving the natural beauty and environmental quality of such places.
Dr. Vibha Singhal, Principal Scientist, interacted with the local street vendors and demonstrated the importance of maintaining cleanliness in and around their vending areas. She encouraged the vendors to keep their surroundings clean, ensure proper disposal of waste and motivate tourists and customers to avoid littering.
Dr. J. Jayaprakash, Principal Scientist, sensitized tourists about the importance of following civic sense while visiting natural and public places. He appealed to the visitors not to litter the surroundings, to use appropriate waste disposal facilities and to contribute towards maintaining the cleanliness and natural beauty of Gucchupani.
Dr. Anupam Barh, Senior Scientist, sensitized the visitors regarding the adverse impact of single-use plastic and disposable items at public and tourist places. He emphasized the need to reduce the use of single-use plastics and adopt environmentally responsible practices to minimize plastic waste and protect the natural environment.
Rakesh Kumar, Chief Technical Officer, encouraged tourists to carry a bag for collecting waste generated during their visit. He advised visitors to keep the waste with them and dispose of it at an appropriate designated place later, rather than throwing it in the surroundings. He emphasized that adopting this simple practice can make a significant contribution towards keeping tourist places clean.
The programme generated awareness among tourists, local vendors and visitors regarding cleanliness, responsible tourism, waste management, reduction of single-use plastics and civic responsibility. The participants were encouraged to work collectively towards maintaining the cleanliness and ecological character of Gucchupani.
The programme concluded with an appeal to all visitors and local stakeholders to avoid littering, minimize the use of disposable materials, properly manage the waste generated during their visit and actively contribute to keeping Gucchupani clean, attractive and environmentally sustainable.
The activity conveyed the message of “Clean Tourism, Responsible Tourism and Environmental Protection” and contributed to the objectives of Special Campaign 6.0 by promoting cleanliness and awareness at a prominent public and tourist place.
