VARANASI, July 21, 2013: In view of the huge rush of Kanwariyas, who throng the city from different parts of country to offer Jalabhishek at Kashi Vishwanath temple during the Shrawan month every year, the local devotees prefer visiting other prominent temples of Lord Shiva to offer prayers during the holy month.

However, on visiting these temples one has to witness a poor sanitary condition in the areas due to negligence of the administration.

It seems that the government machinery is focused only on the arrangements for the highly sensitive Kashi Vishwanath temple due to which temples like Gauri Kedareshwar, Maha Mrityunjay temple, Tilbhandeshwar temple and Jageshwar Mahadev temple are lying ignored in the city.

The district magistrate, Pranjal Yadav, was taken aback when TOI contacted him on Sunday regarding the arrangements, if any, being made at other prominent temples other than the Kashi Vishwanath temple, after making him aware about the ground realities.

On visiting the Gauri Kedareshwar temple one can witness a huge amount of municipal wastedumped at Sonarpura road, opposite to the lane that leads to the temple. The area from Sonarpura to Shivala also suffers severe problem of sewage back-flow.

According to Gopesh Sharma, a local shopkeeper in the area, the garbage was not collected from the temporary 'kooda ghar' since last week. Due to the already lying garbage heap in the area, other cleaning staff also finds it a suitable place for unloading their vehicles.

The Kedarghat lane, where the temple is situated, was also found cluttered with solid waste and no garbage bins were kept on the lane. It may be noted that many devotees visit this place bare foot to offer prayers at the temple and at the near by Tilbhandeshwar temple. This Shiva temple also receives a lot of Malayali devotees as well. However, both the entry points of the temple, from Rewari Talab area as well as Sonarpura, are lying neglected.

Similar was the situation near Mrityunjay Mahadev temple at Daranagar area. Garbage heaps could be seen collected on Daranagar road. Locals siad the area witnesses severe sewage back flow in early morning hours. "Devotees coming bare foot at 5 to 6 am in morning, has to walk through sewage water. The drains are choked and are overflowing. The situation becomes out of control when it rains," said, Rahul Srivastava, a resident of the area.

The route to the temple from Nati Imli to DAV College is the worst hit while another way to the temple from Maidagin crossing was also seen cluttered with municipal waste. similar was the scene at Jageshwar Mahadev, located in the same locality.

The Shrawan month is beginning from July 23. A week after, lakhs of devotees including Yadav bandhus, Knawariyas and pilgrims will offer Jalabhishek in these temples on the first Monday of Shrawan month on July 29.

Despite the assurance given by the nagar health officer, SSP Verma to carry out an extensive cleanliness drive in these areas, the roads and lanes leading to the prominent Shiva temples are yet to be taken seriously by the VMC. The DM said he would personally monitor the sanitary exercises to ensure that civic conditions are improved in all the localities where footfall of devotees remains high during the festive month.

Source: The Times of India, DT. July 21, 2013.