Insanitation and open manholes invite devotees on Panchkoshi Parikrama route

VARANASI: The condition of the Panchkoshi Parikrama route and the facilities at its halts were exposed when divisional commissioner Deepak Agrawal and district magistrate Yogeshwar Ram Mishra, on Tuesday, inspected its route and padavs (halts) two days after chief minister Yogi Adityanath's strict directives to ensure best possible facilities for pilgrims.
As per Hindu calendar and tradition, the Panchkroshi Parikrama (circumambulation of 25 kos(about 50 miles) area in which Kashi is located) takes place every third year in Purushottam month. This year the Parikrama yatra started from May 16. During his stay here on May 20, the CM had disclosed plan for revival of Parikrama route and asked the officials to ensure best possible facilities for the pilgrims taking part in the Parikrama. On Monday, UP minister Neelkanth Tiwari said that a Rs 97 crore project for widening of Parikrama route and Rs four crore for basic infra and other facility development will start after the end of the current Parikrama yatra.

In view of the CM's directives, the commissioner, DM along with BJP MLA from city north Ravindra Jaiswal moved on the Parikrama route and took stock of the padavs between 11 am and 3 pm on Tuesday. Poor sanitary conditions were evident during their stay at the padavs of Bhimchandi, Rameshwar and Shivpur. Handpumps at Bhimchandi were lying defunct and dharmshals had no fans. The guesthouses at Kapildhara and Shivpur were found encroached and no police picket was available at main Parikrama route and its crossings.

The condition of roads at many places was also not found fit for pilgrims. Debris, insufficient public toilets, open manholes and overflowing sewer were noticed on the maine route.

The commissioner asked the SDMs and executive officer of zila panchayat to collect details of the ownership of guesthouses to take over them for proper maintenance and ensuring best facilities for the pilgrims. He asked to ensure repair of defunct hand pumps within 24 hours and deploy sanitary staff in three shift for proper cleanliness of the route and guesthouses. He asked Varanasi Municipal Corporation to place free mobile toilets for pilgrims. He warned the sanitary supervisors of lrgal action on laxity in sanitation work and complaints of charging money for using toilet.

The commissioner also asked to removes debris, close manholes and improve condition of roads to avoid problems for the pilgrims. He also instructed to arrange fans at guesthouses of each Padav and deploy team of doctors and paramedical staff with ambulances round the clock on this route. He said that he or DM would keep conducting surprise inspection of the Parikrama route and in case of overlooking of any of these instructions the official concerned would have to face music.