Clean-up marshals to return this month-end

The controversial clean-up marshal scheme is set to make a comeback in the city at the end of this month. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has appointed 23 private security agencies, which will appoint marshals at 778 places in the city to ensure cleanliness.

“As a part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, we have decided to restart the clean-up marshal scheme to keep the city clean. Twenty-three agencies will deploy 778 marshals in all the 24 wards of the city. We are planning to launch the scheme at the end of April,” said Vijay Balamwar, deputy municipal commissioner, solid waste management.

According to the civic officials, the clean-up marshals will be appointed at crowded places like markets, railway stations, roads, beaches, commercial complexes, hawking zones etc. They will be given authority to fine people for spitting, urinating and littering in public places.

However, some of the controversial clauses in the earlier scheme like the Rs 20,000 fine on dumping of debris and Rs 10,000 fine for throwing off biomedical waste have been removed from the scheme, said officials.

Taking note of previous allegations of large-scale corruption by marshals, the civic body is also planning to set up a grievance redressal cell in every ward of the city for this scheme.

However, civic activists have expressed doubts over the success of the scheme again. Nikhil Desai, co-ordinator of AGNI, F-North ward, said, “The marshals should keep on eye on habitual offenders like hoteliers and hawkers who litter at public spaces. There is no point in the marshals going after common people and fining them.”

The clean-up marshal scheme was twice discontinued earlier – in 2011 and 2014 – amidst allegations of corruptions by the marshals.

Started in 2007, the scheme has always been embroiled in controversy. The civic body had appointed several private agencies, whose marshals were authorised to fine people who litter or spit on the roads or public places. But the civic body was flooded with several complaints of corruption, scuffles with people and high-handed action by the marshals.

The scheme was terminated in 2011, but following a Bombay high court order, was revived in June 2013.