NEW DELHI: Hours after the Directorate of Civil Defence issued an order ending the services of 10,000 civil defence volunteers with effect from October 31, 2023, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal directed Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot to deploy home guards as bus marshals.
Kejriwal also asked Gahlot to initiate action against Transport Commissioner, Ashish Kundra and Principal Secretary (Finance), Ashish Verma over the delay in salary payment to the bus marshals and ensure that their salaries be disbursed by Diwali. Amid a tussle between the L-G office and the Delhi government, hundreds of civil defence volunteers started an indefinite sit-in protest outside the Delhi Secretariat over unpaid dues.
“Till the engagement and deployment of Home Guards as bus marshals are done, the current bus marshals are to be continued so that women’s safety is not compromised”, Kejriwal said in a note to Gahlot. “With regard to the bus marshals, all pending payments to bus marshals are to be released immediately not later than Diwali, home guards are to be deployed as bus marshals expeditiously, there should be no reduction in the number of bus marshals and till the engagement and deployment of home guards as bus marshals, the current bus marshals are to be continued so that the safety and security of women is not compromised,” Kejriwal wrote to Gahlot.
Earlier, the Directorate of Civil Defence had issued an order ending the services of civil defence volunteers. “it has been noted that the aforesaid call out was also not done in a fair and transparent manner by following the due process; whereas, it has been decided that the aforesaid call out of Civil Defence Volunteers needs to be ended with immediate effect. Director Civil Defence/ Divisional Commissioner is pleased to end the call out duty of all the members of Civil Defence Corps (Civil Defence Volunteers) deployed in any department/office with effect from 31’ October, 2023,” read the order.
The termination of the CDVs, majorly appointed as marshals in DTC buses, has turned into the latest flashpoint between the AAP government and L-G VK Saxena with both parties accusing each other of taking the move. Raj Niwas officials said it was the L-G who, while approving the CM’s proposal to terminate the services of all existing civil defence volunteers, raised concerns about the loss of livelihood and directed Kejriwal that those who lose their jobs be considered for appointment as home guards. The L-G recently approved the appointment of about 10,000 home guards, officials said.
Civil Defence issued termination of services order
Earlier, the Directorate of Civil Defence had issued an order ending the services of civil defence volunteers. “... it has been decided that the call out of Civil Defence Volunteers needs to be ended with immediate effect. Director Civil Defence/ Divisional Commissioner is pleased to end the call out duty of all the members of Civil Defence Corps deployed in any department with effect from 31’ October, 2023,” read the order.