BSWML to spend Rs 30 cr on marshals

Bengaluru: Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd (BSWML) will spend Rs 30 crore on marshals for one-and-a-half years. This is three times what the civic body had spent in 2019 when it first hired marshals for improving source segregation of waste, reducing garbage blackspots, etc. 

This time, the civic body has floated tenders to hire a private agency for providing manpower. The BSWML chose not to engage the Karnataka Ex-Servicemen Welfare Society, which had provided the services so far, as most of the recruits were National Cadet Corps (NCC) volunteers and not retired soldiers as planned initially. 

The proposal to spend Rs 30 crore has been criticised by some as the BSWML was required to recover the expenses by slapping fines on people who violate SWM rules such as plastic ban, garbage dumping, etc. What’s more, the deployment of marshals has not improved the cleanliness in public spaces.

'False claims'  

Former councillor NR Ramesh said the BBMP claims that it has deployed 700 marshals, but this is not true in reality. The civic body, he said, has also concealed information sought by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). He also wondered why the BSWML is deploying 12 marshals for Bellandur Lake, which comes under the purview of the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). 

The civic body, he said, is also looting money by claiming that 522 marshals are monitoring 174 Indira Canteens in three shifts.