Pushkarulu: Adikavi Nannaya Varsity Takes Up Women Safety Survey

Vijayawada:Adikavi Nannaya University is teaming up its students and several NGOs in association with the East Godavari district administration to ensure the ensuing Godavari Pushkarlu is held incident-free. This is at the behest of the national women's commission.

The university doing a survey on women safety in Rajamahendravaram by listing a series of questions on issues of personal safety risks like sexual harassment, eve-teasing, stalking, touching, hassling, sexual assault or rape, robbery, lifting of possessions and murder.

The survey also covers factors that contribute to situations of women feeling unsafe like poor lighting, lack of signage, poor maintenance of public places, crowded public transport, lack of clean and safe public toilets, lack of effective or visible police, men taking alcohol/drugs, lack of respect for women.

Plans are t to identify the timing and location of women generally facing issues and their reaction or confrontation with the perpetrators or the chances of them reporting such matters to the police or other authorities and the response they got.

The university teams are analysing feedback from the survey to help women overcome such situations by taking up these issues with the district administration and the police.

The authorities are planning to train both the male and female students on how to deal with the visiting devotees for the Godavari Pushkaralu, to extend them help in taking the holy dip in the river, taking darshan in temple, offering special prayers and safely going back to their places of origin.

These students will also coordinate with the other NGOs and volunteers who extend services like offering drinking water, milk, buttermilk, food etc, and guide devotees to the health camps in case of any health issues.

The authorities are also coming up with some advisories based on the feedback from the survey of women safety to the devotees, like urging them to avoid wearing of gold ornaments, avoid carrying much cash etc. They are advising all the devotees to carry some identity cards.

Meanwhile, the university is also planning to carry out a women safety audit in association with the NGOs and deputed its faculty members to specific areas in Rajamahendravaram to reach out to the women and get their feedback on safety issues, stated university vice chancellor Dr Prasanna Sri Ragala.

AP Women Commission suggested taking up women safety survey as a pilot project by Adikavi Nannaya University and the Padmavathi Mahilia Viswavidyalayam in Tirupati

Tata Institute of Social Sciences, NGOs, Women and Child Welfare members, MEPMA members, women cell committee members of the university involved in the survey

Godavari Pushkaralu scheduled from June 26 to July 7, 2027 in erstwhile Godavari districts with an expected turnout of around 8-10 crore devotees.