Deoghar, Oct 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan seems to have a major impact in Jharkhand's Deoghar. Local residents as well as the devotees visiting the religious city clearly see a significant transformation when it comes to cleanliness.

The initiative not only made the city cleaner but also raised awareness among the people about the importance of cleanliness.

A devotee told IANS that earlier there used to be a lot of dirt around Baba Baidyanath Dham temple. But, ever since the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission, things started changing and today there is no dirt anywhere in Deoghar. "The public has also become aware of cleanliness. Now Baba's entire city looks clean," he said.

Baba Jha, a priest at the Baidyanath temple, said that the Swachhta Abhiyan has been going on for the last 10 years and it has been taken very seriously in Deoghar. The district administration and the Municipal Corporation have played an important role in making Deoghar clean. With the blessings of Baba Baidyanath, this campaign has reached every corner of the country making the nation clean.

Local resident Prabhat Kumar said that Prime Minister Modi's Swachhta Mission has completed 10 years and today, "when you go to Baba's temple, your mind will be mesmerized by seeing the cleanliness. It is a matter of happiness for the lakhs of devotees who come to Deoghar every year".

Local residents say that not just government institutions, but people are also playing an important role in maintaining cleanliness. Today, dustbins have been placed in front of every shop in the city and vehicles of the civic body visit door-to-door daily to collect garbage.

Launched in 2014, the iconic Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is drawing praise from various sections of society -- not just in big cities, but also in small towns and villages.

In its initial days when the Prime Minister himself held a broom in his hands to promote cleanliness, critics including the Opposition leaders raised questions on the initiative but soon, people started realising the value of cleanliness and hygiene and started joining it, making the initiative a mass movement.

/IANS