Lack of sanitation in city angers female warkaris

Pune: Lack of proper sanitation facilities along the route from Pandharpur to Pune is a cause for concern for warkaris who undertake the annual pilgrimage every year.
The problem is felt much more acutely by women warkaris during their spiritual journey. “I’ve been walking with the palkhi from Dehu for three years, and the state of hygiene along our route is quite pitiable,” said Savita Gawane (51), from Pahunewadi village, Baramati taluka.
“I want to undertake the journey every year, but I am disgusted by the filthy state of toilets along the route,” she said. Though portable toilets are provided at designated stops, most of them are in a sorry state, lacking basic amenities like running water and proper maintenance, causing women warkaris significant inconvenience and discomfort. “I think we need cleaner sanitary facilities than what is being provided at present. Being a part of the wari involves enduring hardships, but that should not mean being provided with inadequate sanitation facilities,” said Asha Gawane (55) who is undertaking the arduous journey for the first time.
Initiatives such as the Nirmal Vaari Abhiyan have been launched for setting up hygienic facilities for warkaris, but these toilets remain dirty, said warkaris. Narendra Vaishampayan, who works for the Nirmal Vaari Abhiyan, said, “We have set up around 1,200 temporary bio-toilets, but very few of them have set up in urban areas.”