NEW DELHI: Delhi’s 10,000 bus marshals and civil defense volunteers (CDVs), whose services were terminated last year, are set to make return within a week and their services will be utilised in on ground zero in the fight against pollution, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi announced on Monday. These marshals and CVDs will reinforce pollution checks, border inspections and awareness campaigns.
Delhi CM Atishi, in a press conference alongside Environment Minister Gopal Rai, said that to ensure women’s safety on buses, the government deployed bus marshals in 2017-18. These marshals worked in about three shifts to address any issues women might face on public transport.
CM Atishi noted that for the past year, these bus marshals and CDVs have been tirelessly fighting on the streets, fully backed by the Delhi government, its ministers, and AAP MLAs.
Whether it meant facing police resistance or enduring physical confrontation, Delhi’s ministers and MLAs stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the marshals in their struggle, she highlighted.
“Finally, their efforts bore fruit, and the central government had to relent, agreeing to the Delhi government’s long-standing demand to reinstate the bus marshals.
“Recently, we announced that these 10,000 bus marshals and civil defense volunteers will now be deployed in Delhi’s ongoing battle against pollution,” asserted the chief minister.
CM Atishi shared that some bus marshals will be assigned to the Transport Department, which oversees approximately 1,000 pollution inspection centers across Delhi where vehicle emissions are tested.
Their duty will be to ensure that no vehicle receives a pollution certificate through improper means, Atishi said, while giving details about their duties.
The Delhi CM stated that with the implementation of GRAP restrictions III and IV, there are also limitations on the types of vehicles that can enter Delhi. Therefore, these bus marshals will be deployed at the borders to assist the transport department’s enforcement teams in checking compliance, she added.
She noted that there are 13 pollution hotspots and 27 additional locations in Delhi where pollution levels are elevated and require monitoring.
Bus marshals will be stationed at these areas in coordination with the MCD’s deputy commissioners.
“Additionally, bus marshals and Civil Defence Volunteers will support the MCD’s inspection teams, which are actively monitoring construction and demolition waste...,” said CM Atishi.
The BJP, however, said the reappointment happened due to the party’s request and Atishi was just “taking credit without contributing anything”.
In a statement, the BJP said the lives of civil defence volunteers was jeopardised due to AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal ,whose government had appointed them without following “administrative procedures.”
“It is unfortunate that despite the honourable lieutenant governor reappointing these volunteers..., the chief minister is making a disgraceful attempt to take credit without contributing anything,” the statement said.