The Maharashtra government today said manual scavenging in the temple town of Pandharpur in Solapur district would be stopped.u00a0The Legislative Assembly was informed of thisu00a0by Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.u00a0

Pandharpur is the only place in the state where conservancy workers are traditionally forced to carry human excreta on their heads to the pits. Chavan gave the assurance after some members raised the issue of conservancy workers from Pandharpur undertaking a protest fast at the Azad Maidan here. u00a0