Thirty-seven weeks back, 50-year-old Kamesh Sundaram began the mission all alone. His dedication to clean a 1.2 kilometre stretch of the Mettupalayam Highway made many people join him in his mission.

An employee of Texmo Industries, Kamesh started collecting garbage near Gounder Mills. “I started it around first week of June during week days. The very second day 12 of my colleagues joined me,” he told Covai Post.

Till now Kamesh and his team have collected 1.5 tonnes garbage from the small stretch between Government Industrial Training Institute for Women and John Bosco Church. “Now 22 of us involved in the work,” he added. Students from a few colleges joined the cleaning drive.

“We collect the wastes including plastic and empty bottles in garbage disposal bags. We later put it in the garbage truck that comes to our office to collect the accumulated trash,” he added.

The team, however, has not tied up with the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation. “Initially there were some dustbins on the road. Now they have been removed,” he said.

The team has decided to conduct a cleanliness drive at Maruthamalai Temple. “Twenty-two volunteers will be involved in the drive on Sunday. Anybody can join us in this drive,” Kamesh said.