BMC is set to appoint Clean-Up Marshals to instill cleanliness discipline among citizens. Before enforcing cleanliness discipline on Mumbaikars, BMC aims to instill discipline in the Clean-Up Marshals. The civic body plans to impose a penalty of INR 1,000 on Marshals who take unauthorized leave or fail to wear their uniform while on duty.
30 marshals to be appointed in all wards within next month
The appointment of a minimum of 30 Clean-Up Marshals in all 24 administrative wards is expected within the next month. Mumbai has been without Clean-Up Marshals for the past two years due to the expiration of their contract with BMC, which was not renewed due to public complaints about their behavior.
To address the rising cleanliness issues, BMC had introduced "Swachhata doot" in all administrative wards two years ago. However, these representatives focus on creating awareness about cleanliness and waste segregation. The newly appointed Clean-Up Marshals will specifically target individuals engaging in open defecation and littering, imposing fines ranging from INR 200 to INR 1,000.
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Half of the penalty amount collected will be allocated to the contractors engaging the Marshals, while the remaining half will be retained by BMC. In an effort to prevent conflicts during penalty collection, BMC plans to provide training to Marshals on courteous behavior with the public.
Marshals were authorised to charge penalties during pandemic
During the COVID-19 period, Clean-Up Marshals were temporarily granted the authority to collect penalties, resulting in allegations of corruption. To address this, BMC is contemplating the introduction of online apps or portals for penalty collection.
BMC records indicate that during the COVID-19 period, Clean-Up Marshals fined forty lakh individuals for not wearing masks, collecting a total of INR 80 crores in penalties. In addition to addressing cleanliness issues, the Marshals will also be tasked with taking action against contractors who do not adhere to BMC's Air Pollution mitigation measures at construction sites.
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