JOIN USLitterbugs beware, marshals will fine you
To end the menace of garbage dumping and the problem of blackspots in the city, the state government has approved the appointment of garbage marshals.
Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had in 2018 sent a proposal for the appointment of 240 retired servicemen as marshals to prevent garbage dumping in the city.
BBMP commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad told DH, “The approval has come from the government and we will appoint about 240 marshals in a month and each marshal will be responsible for preventing garbage dumping in his respective ward.”
Marshals will be appointed through the Karnataka Ex-servicemen Welfare Society (KEWS). BBMP will deploy 198 marshals every day and the remaining 42 will be on standby. They will work in wards when the regular marshal is off or on leave.
The marshals will be hired under the special concession from the government under 4(G) exemption approved by the Urban Development Department. BBMP will spend Rs 8.48 crore on salaries, uniforms and training these marshals every year.
D Randeep, additional commissioner, Solid Waste Management, BBMP, told DH, “This will be a remarkable development in the city as it will put an end to the menace of blackspots (garbage dumping spots). Marshals will be tasked with penalising people dumping garbage in public places,” he said.
An amendment will be soon made to the Karnataka Municipal Council (KMC) Act to bestow the power of enforcement on marshals. “An amendment will be made to the KMC Act through the BBMP Council to empower marshals. They will be able to penalise those caught dumping garbage in public places. They will have GPS-enabled personalised digital assistants to issue receipts for the penalty amount to ensure transparency and accountability,” he said.
The decision was one of the 10 listed in the Citizen Charter presented to the state government after an interactive event organised by DH/PV as part of DH & Citizens for Civic Amenities forum in the first week of October 2018.
BBMP has appointed marshals for Bellahalli landfill, Bellandur and Varthur lakes.