Following the statue disaster in Malvan, where a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj collapsed, Nationalist Youth Congress city president Ambadas Khaire has urged District Collector Jalaj Sharma to ensure the daily cleaning and structural audit of all statues of great leaders in Nashik district.
The incident in Malvan, where a statue of Shivaji Maharaj erected on Navy Day at Rajkot collapsed, has raised concerns about the maintenance of statues across Nashik. Khaire pointed out that once statues are installed in the city, they are often neglected by the administration. Maintenance, repairs, and regular cleaning are not carried out properly, with statues only being cleaned on special occasions like birth and death anniversaries. For the rest of the year, many statues are left to gather dust.
Khaire emphasized that statues of great leaders hold significant emotional value for various communities, societies, and organizations. They are symbols of history and pride, and therefore, require regular upkeep. He urged the administration to take immediate steps to protect these statues and ensure their long-term well-being. This includes not only keeping them clean but also conducting daily structural audits to prevent any accidents or defacement.
Nashik has a large number of statues located in important squares and public places. These statues are often decorated and cleaned only during significant events, after which they are ignored until the next special occasion. Khaire's statement highlighted the need for continuous care and monitoring to preserve the dignity of these important monuments.
During the appeal, several other leaders, including Amol Naik, Mukesh Shewale, Venkatesh Jadhav, Dr. Sandeep Chavan, and others, were present to support the call for better statue maintenance in Nashik.