VARANASI, July 30, 2013: Tall Claims and promises of providing smooth Shrawanfestivities fell flat so far as the preparedness of the administration is concerned against the rush of devotees to the Sarangnath Shiva temple at Sarnath on the first Monday of the holy month. Thousands of devotees including the Yadav Bandhus and kanvariyas offered Jalabhishek at the Sarangnath temple on Monday.

Saroj who had come for 'darshan' at Sarangnath temple, complained that her clothes were soiled by mud as she slipped and fell. "I had heard special arrangements were made this time by the administration but the roads are in a miserable condition. At most places the roads have turned into marshes. It has been difficult to reach the temple especially with kids," lamented Saroj. All visitors complained about the poor condition of roads that become dangerous to commute on at night especially in the absence of street lights. After visiting the temple site, district magistrate Pranjal Yadav had ordered the officials concerned to complete the construction of roads before the onset of the Shrawan but no action was take.

Another matter of concern is the laxity in the security aspects as there is no check at the entry points or inside the temple. Sanjay Chaurasiya, a devotee from Mughalsarai, was shocked to discover that anybody could carry anything into the temple.

Circle officer (CO) Sarnath and in-charge of the security arrangements at Sarangnath temple V K Singh said since the temple is open from all sides, it is not possible to check everybody entering it. "So far, everything has been smooth and peaceful and hopefully it will continue this way," he said. According to the official, as many as 28 police personnel including two women constables are on duty at present at the temple in two shifts. Also an anti-sabotage drive was conducted by the police in the morning in the temple area. Apart from this, the famous Sarangnath fair going on in the vicinity of the temple witnesses huge crowd especially of women and kids with not much vigil or security. There is no checking what stuff people are carrying inside.

Meanwhile, despite tall claims made about catering heavy rush of passengers at Cantonment Railway Station in view of first Monday of Shrawan, negligence was prevailing in the station premises on Monday.

While heap of garbage dumped opposite the railway station premises welcomed devotees and Kanwariyas in the city, the situation inside the station premises was no different. The railway tracks were littered with solid waste across length of the platform. The condition near the public convenience also remains the worst. The condition of waiting area behind the food plaza also gives a picturesque of the poor sanitary conditions in the station premises.

Passengers who had assembled in the waiting hall at platform number 5 complained about the unavailability of water in toilets and wash rooms. This led to a state of uncomfortable for many passengers. According to Ranjeet, who looks after the public convenience at platform number one, no extra arrangement for cleanliness was made for washrooms keeping in view the extra rush on Monday.

At the same time, as waiting hall at platform one was not properly cleaned, pilgrims and devotees who had arrived in the city from far-away places had assembled in the main hall and platform number one of the station and preferred sitting on their luggage and mattresses on the floor.

Source: The Times of India, DT. July 30, 2013.