Bhubaneswar, Oct. 7: The Union tourism and culture ministry has included Khandagiri and Udayagiri caves here in its Swachh Bharat app.

As a result, tourists visiting the caves will now be able to lodge complaints regarding lack of cleanliness through the app. The app can be downloaded from Google Play Store. Tourists have welcomed the central government's decision.

"The area surrounding the caves lacks cleanliness. Now, it will be easy to lodge complaints regarding lack of the civic upkeep in the area," said Rashmiranjan Parija, 54, a tourist from Kendrapara.

The Swachh Bharat app, the official app of the Union urban development ministry, enables a citizen to post any issue regarding cleanliness which is then forwarded to the city corporation concerned and thereafter assigned to the sanitary inspector of the particular ward. The app has been built by IChangeMyCity - a division of Janaagraha, a Banagalore-based non-profit organisation working to improve the standard of living in India's cities and towns.

People can take a picture related to any civic issue using their smart phones and post it in various categories of the Swachh Bharat app, such as garbage dumped, garbage vehicle not arrived, dustbins not cleaned, sweeping not done, dead animal, public toilet cleaning, public toilet blockage, no water supply in public toilet and no electricity in public toilet. The app will capture the location while the picture is being taken and inform the respective sanitary inspector.

Aiginia resident G.C. Mohanty, 72, said the app would be helpful in lodging cleanliness complaints. "However, it remains to be seen how soon civic officials respond to the request," he said.

Khandagiri sanitary inspector Ajaya Kumar Panda said the app would help in getting information on lack of cleanliness around the caves. "Our endeavour is to ensure cleanliness around the caves. But, the app will help us in getting information regarding civic problems around the caves. I appeal to the public to use the app judiciously and report cleanliness related matters promptly to us," he said.

Principal tourism secretary Gagan Kumar Dhal welcomed the Centre's decision to include Khandagiri and Udayagiri caves in its Swachh Bharat app.

He said his department had urged the Centre to include other places of tourist interest, including Lingaraj Temple, in the app. Khandagiri and Udayagiri caves and Konark temple are the only two monuments from the state to be included in the app.