The Delhi government has started deploying “environment marshals” to help curb various sources of air pollution, including the burning of waste, Environment and Forest Minister Imran Hussain said on Wednesday.
Burning garbage
Mr. Hussain said the marshals, who are Home Guard volunteers, would stop people from illegally burning garbage and other materials as well as dust pollution and improper management of garbage dumps
He said 14 Home Guards had been deployed in three wards of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation and two wards each of the south and north Delhi municipal corporations. He added that the Environment Department planned on increasing the number of marshals to 100, for 50 wards, soon.
Apart from preparing a standard operating procedure, the department had organised a training programme for the marshals on December 19. Since burning of waste in the open and dust pollution at construction sites are banned and incur penalties, the marshals will be the “eyes and ears” of the department and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, a government statement said.
