Baripada, August 11: As thousands of Kanwariyas gather at Gadgadia Ghat during the holy month of Shravan to collect water for religious rituals, a local social worker has taken up an unusual yet important initiative to ensure their safety.

Prashant Kumar Rout, a 49-year-old social worker from the Pithapur area, has been collecting discarded blades from the ghat and burying them away from areas frequented by devotees. So far this Shravan season, Rout and his family members have collected nearly 10,000 blades, preventing possible injuries and accidents among pilgrims.

During religious rituals, Kanwariyas often use blades to cut various items. However, many leave the used blades behind before returning home. The sharp objects, scattered across the sandy and muddy steps of the ghat, can pose a serious risk to devotees, particularly those walking barefoot.

Concerned about the potential danger, Rout has been personally cleaning the area along with his two sons, Pratyush Rout and Prayas Rout, and his nephew Prayangsh Rout. On Sunday, the group spent the entire day collecting blades from the ghat and safely disposing of them away from public movement.

Rout's concern for the safety of Kanwariyas is part of his broader commitment to social service. A small businessman by profession, he has been involved in various community welfare activities for several years. He has distributed drinking water during the summer, operated mosquito-fogging machines in local wards, helped level damaged roads and taken people's grievances to government offices.

Rout has also reportedly performed the last rites of 626 people to date.

For the past several years, he has been actively involved in arrangements for Kanwariyas ahead of Shravan. Every year, he submits a 10-point memorandum to the administration highlighting the problems faced by devotees at Gadgadia Ghat. He has also constructed temporary toilets and changing rooms at his own expense and helped create barricades in the river using sandbags and other materials.

This year, however, his blade-collection initiative has drawn particular attention for its focus on preventing injuries and maintaining cleanliness at the pilgrimage site.

“I like serving people. I feel satisfied when I am able to help others. It is not only Kanwariyas; I want to serve people from every section of society. I will continue this work until my last breath,” Rout said.

His selfless efforts to protect devotees from discarded blades have earned appreciation from the local community and serve as an example of how individual initiatives can contribute to public safety.