PUNE: The city had made all the arrangements to welcome the warkaris of the Pandharpur Wari
who come from Dehu and Alandi. However, there were not enough mobile toilets. As a result, the warkaris, including women, had to defecate on the roadside making it embarrassing for themselves and others along the route.
A few mobile toilets were spotted from Vishrantwadi to Sangamwadi bridge but for the entire stretch of Sangamwadi Road, there were
no mobile toilets and warkaris were defecating openly.
Shantaram Jadhav, a warkari coming from Ambashi village in Chikhli taluka in Buldhana district, said, “All the arrangements including water, snacks, a tent for a stopover, fruits, tea and coffee were given at every 200 metres. But there were very less mobile toilets installed.”
Sulakshana Gaikwad, another warkari coming from Adgaon village in Basmath taluka of Hingoli district, said, “The toilets are not maintained properly, therefore we are finding it very difficult. There is no water in these toilets otherwise we would have cleaned the toilets by ourselves. We do not have any other option but to defecate in hidden places.”
Dattatray Godhage, a warkari coming from Awalegaon village in Kudal taluka in Sindhudurg district, said, “Every year the problem is same. We just get all kinds of arrangements. But we do not get any facilities like mobile toilets. We have spoken to our Dindi Pramukh (head) several times about it, but nothing happens.”