As a New Year resolution, Atul Gamechi (34), along with children and young people from the Jalaram slum at Karelibaug, has pledged to clean up all the statues in the Karelibaug-VIP area.

The resolution was taken after the group, which moves around under the name of Navjeevan Seva Samiti, approached the local mayor exactly a year ago, pointing out the laxity on the part of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC).

“They (VMC) have people designated for keeping all the statues around the city clean. But we have never seen the workers clean them on a regular basis. These statues of great personalities have their own history and reflect the story of the area as well as the city," said Gamechi.

Till last year, the group used to clean the statues on festivals and other important occasions throughout the year. But in 2009, they have decided to do it on a regular basis. “It takes just a few minutes of work. We have decided to keep a cloth with us and every time we pass by any statue, we will clean it,” he said.

But they do not want to stop here. With over 600 families at the Jalaram slum, most of them are into odd jobs of vegetable vendors, watchmen or auto drivers. None of them have a regular source of income, but around 200 unemployed youths in the area want to approach the corporation for the permission to extend their work across the city for a nominal honorarium.

“If the VMC allows some of these people to carry out the cleaning exercise, they can earn some money. But even if the proposal is declined, we are still bent on doing our part of the duty,” said Gamechi.

Deputy municipal commissioner C M Makwana said: “We have our teams of workers taking up the dusting and cleaning work at least at the important areas in the city. Those located on the outskirts might be left out on a few occasions.”