New Delhi, Sep 24 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated Bilal Dar, an 18-year old from Srinagar, for helping to clean Wular Lake in Jammu and Kashmir and called him a source of inspiration for "all of us".

Modi also hailed the Srinagar Municipal Corporation for appointing Dar its brand ambassador.

In his monthly radio programme Mann ki Baat, the Prime Minister said when where was talk of brand ambassador, there was a feeling the person must be an actor or a sports personality.

"But not in this case. Bilal Dar got connected to cleanliness campaign since the age of 12-13 years and has been working for the last five to six years," he said, adding his attention was drawn to Dar few days ago.

"He clears plastic, polythene, used bottles, dry or wet waste - every piece of dirt from Asia's biggest lake near Srinagar," Modi said, referring to Wular Lake about 60 km from away.

Modi said Dar also earns from the activity. "His father had died of cancer at a very young age but he connected his livelihood with cleanliness.

"I congratulate the Srinagar Municipal Corporation for their imagination to appoint an ambassador for this cause of cleanliness because Srinagar is a tourist destination and every Indian wants to go there."

Modi said he was glad the municipal corporation had also given Dar a vehicle and uniform.

"Bilal is very young but is a source of inspiration for all of us who are interested in cleanliness. I congratulate Bilal Dar," Modi said.