After anti smog gun to mitigate the effect of pollutants in the city air, the Delhi Government has deployed home guards as environment marshals in its bid to combat air pollution related problems.
“In the coming days, the Department of Environment plans to increase the number of marshals to 100 who will be deployed in 50 wards of MCD,” the Government said in a statement. These marshals have been trained to act as the eyes and ears of the Government. They have been mandated to report incidents of open burning of leaves, garbage or plastic, or open dumping of construction waste and spillage of solid waste at landfill sites.
According to a Delhi government decision, some 14 home Guards have already been posted in seven wards of three municipal corporations who are covering high polluting areas including Anand Vihar, IP Extension, Jhilmil, Daryaganj, Okhla, Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar-Samaypur Badli and Shahbad Daulatpur-Pooth Khurd. “Delhi government is planning to increase the number of marshals to 100 ,and they will be deployed in different 50 wards of MCD,” an official statement issued on Wednesday read.
These marshals will report to supervisory officers from DPCC on a daily basis and will be paid a lump sum monthly amount of Rs 5,000 for transportation and Rs 1,500 for mobile phone usage.
The volunteers have been instructed to act as eyes and ears of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and report the instances about burning of leaves, garbage and plastic in open. They will also report on dumping of construction material in open without covering, another factor contributing to rise in values of PM 10 and 2.5 and dust pollution caused due to construction activity without taking adequate pollution control measures such as covers and sprinkling of water on material stored and spillage of solid waste at dhalaos of MCD.
It may be recalled, in November, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had asked the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), to check the open burning and to take effective measures to control dust pollution caused due to irresponsible construction activities.
Meanwhile central pollution watch body Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) also came up with several rules and guidelines pertaining to the sale of construction materials at the road side.