The machines, specially brought in to remove dirt which remains accumulated on either side of the dividers, were introduced in the presence of P F Bharucha, general manager (planning and administration), Bank of Baroda and officers from the L&T and Yuvraj Industries. The function was held near the Belbaug Shopping Centre office of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC).

Top civic officers, including Municipal Commissioner G R Aloria, remained present on the occasion. According to Aloria, VMC plans to purchase some 200 machines. In each ward 20 manually operated machines would be given to improve the quality of road sweeping.

The BoB has sponsored 25 sweeping machines and other city-based organisations, too, have sponsored around 65 units.

Adulterations: During recent checks, five samples of edible oil -- three of cottonseed oil and two of groundnut oil -- were found adulterated.

The VMC has filed cases against Hemlata Shah, Gayatri Refoils Limited, Pradip Gupta, Sainath Proteins Limited, Mehsana, Harish Patel and Hemlata Shah and others for involvement in selling such stuff. Persons against who the cases have been filed are either sellers, warranters or producers.

A civic spokesman said that the cases have been filed as the samples have not been found as per the specifications of the Prevention of Food and Adulteration Act.

In the groundnut oil samples, it was found that there were even traces of cottonseed oil.