Girish Bapat briefs govt officials on Ashadhi Wari

PUNE: District Guardian Minister and Member of Parliament (MP) Girish Bapat urged government departments to focus on providing facilities to pilgrims of Ashadhi Wari this year. He said sanitation and water management should be the top priority. 

Bapat was addressing a planning meet at the Divisional Commissioner’s office on Monday morning.

He said the event is a sacred one and people should contribute to the best of their ability. “We have observed that pilgrims have to wait in a long queue for accessing water through tankers and so government departments should try to provide plastic tanks to these pilgrims so they get easy access to water,” added Bapat.

Officials said they will reserve water in different dams on the route. The water will be released as the Wari proceeds. The number of water tankers on the route has been increased. Bapat said officials of the Food & Drug Administration will look after testing the quality of drinking water. 

Officials said mobile toilets will be provided on the route and people should place a white flag on their toilets if they are OK with allowing pilgrims to use the toilets. 

Bapat has directed the government officials to seek help from NGOs participating in the Wari and guide them to help the pilgrims in a better way. Private hospitals on the route will be asked to keep some beds reserved for the pilgrims. 

The pilgrims said there should be a ban on firecrackers and loudspeakers on the route as it disturs them. Officials of the Food Distribution Department said gas cylinders, kerosene and other necessary items will be provided to the pilgrims.
“To maintain law and order, the police should be deployed in plain clothes at different steps of Wari,” added Bapat.

Guardian minister Girish Bapat also announced compensation of Rs 15 lakh per hectare to 914 person affected due to Bhama askhed dam. The compensation amount will be paid by local corporation body.