BENGALURU: Over 400 marshals deployed for various duties in Bengaluru will now take on the job of solid waste management. The civic administration is removing marshals deployed at Indira Canteens and lakes, and move them to other duties. They will be handling citizens’ complaints, including garbage burning, checking black spots, attendance of auto tippers, night patrol and Swachh Survekshan works.
Also, as per National Green Tribunal (NGT) directions, eight marshals have been deployed at Bellandur and Varthur lakes. While 54 marshals are on duty at landfills, another 50 are at solid waste management plants. Six are on duty at KR Market and four at Madiwala market.
Despite these multiple duties, Bengaluru will have to manage with the existing marshal strength because Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), the five city corporations and Bangalore Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) are not keen to add more boots on the ground.
Sources in the GBA said: “There is no clarity on the expansion of the number of wards. Nothing is finalised yet. There is also dearth of funds to add more staff, so it has been decided to make do with the existing staff.”
Col. Rajbir, senior coordinator of marshals in Bengaluru, said no decision has been taken on recruiting more marshals. The ones on duty are already overstretched, and are being shuffled for day and night shifts.
A marshal, seeking anonymity, said, “There is too much work to do, but handling people and officials is a bigger challenge. Citizens do not want to listen and cooperate. One day, we are asked to work in the Indira Canteen and the next day we have to manage black spots and go on night patrol duty to ensure people don’t dump waste on the roads. We are also posted with health inspectors in penalising people. On some days it is too much to handle for our limited workforce.”
Karee Gowda, Chief Executive Officer, BSWML, said there are over 400 marshals and the number is sufficient for the time being. Instead of deploying more on the ground, it is important for citizens to follow solid waste management rules. There is a need to increase awareness among people and that is the focus at the moment, he said.