Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has directed the Solapur district collector and other state authorities to take “all adequate and appropriate measures for security of pilgrims (Warkaris)” to avoid any “untoward incident” during the congregation for the Ashadhi Ekadashi festival. The festival will be held in the state’s Pandharpur on July 17.
The Court also directed the government to complete construction of the Kumbhar ghat at Pandharpur by the end of the year. Warkaris or devotees gather in large numbers twice a year, on Ashadhi and Kartiki Ekadashi, and take part in the festivals held at the Vitthal Rukmini temple.
“We expect that no untoward incident shall occur during the pilgrimage this year,” a bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Amir Borkar said. The court added, “We may reiterate that the Executive Engineer concerned and the Collector, Solapur shall ensure that all adequate and appropriate measures for security of the pilgrims are put in place and the amenities as discussed above are also ensured to these pilgrims.”
The HC was hearing a PIL filed by lawyer Ajinkya Sangitrao raising grievances over the work order issued to contractors for construction of ghats — from Vipra Datta Ghat to Uddhav Ghat — at Pandharpur. The plea mentioned an incident of October 2020, during which the 20-feet wall of the under-construction ghat on which six persons lost their lives.
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The Irrigation department submitted that no unwarranted incidents took place in the last two years due to precautions taken by the government. The affidavit stated that the Kumbhar ghat has been barricaded by the Irrigation department and sign boards cautioning pilgrims have also been put up. Also, additional security guards have also been employed round-the-clock at the spot.
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State advocate PP Kakade informed the bench that the government has put its machinery in motion so that safety of pilgrims and the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for disaster management for the entire Wari period is being implemented. The HC has asked the petitioner to file a detailed reply to the state’s affidavit and kept the matter for hearing on August 14.
