Council of ministers recommends deploying 10K CDVs as bus marshals: AAP

A day after the Delhi government approved the reinstatement of 10,000 civil defence volunteers (CDVs), the ruling AAP on Sunday claimed the council of ministers has recommended their "immediate" deployment as bus marshals.

On Saturday, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi said that her government has passed a proposal to reinstate the CDVs removed as bus marshals in October 2023, for the next four months on duties involving enforcement of various anti-pollution measures.

In a meeting held at Delhi secretariat on Sunday, the council of ministers handed over a report to Atishi, recommending immediate reinstatement of 10,000 bus marshals, the AAP said.

The proposal for reinstatement of 10,000 CDVs as bus marshals will be sent to Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena for his approval, the party added.

The CDVs were removed after objections were raised that they could only be deployed in disaster management duties and their use as bus marshals was against the rules.

Atishi had said that the CDVs will be called for registration at respective district magistrate offices from Monday and two-three days after that they will be assigned duties for works like pollution hotspot management, prevention of garbage burning and dust control.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta, in a statement, claimed that "temporary" reinstatement has sparked anger among the CDVs and they have refused to join work.

The CDVs deserve permanent jobs, not just four months of relief, Gupta said.

"Aam Aadmi Party government has played politics over this issue over the past year, wasting time in blamegame. If the government had taken up the process of regularising the 10,000 marshals, their jobs would have been secure by now," Gupta claimed.

Despite orders from the LG, the Delhi government "deliberately" delayed action and he had to write to chief minister Atishi twice, he said.

"Atishi announced yesterday that these marshals would be deployed on duty by Tuesday or Wednesday, which means that instead of starting on November 1, they will begin on November 15, resulting in a direct loss of half a month's salary," he said.

The AAP said that the Delhi government will soon submit a proposal to the LG for the permanent reinstatement of bus marshals. In the meantime, they have been reinstated by the government and will play a key role in Delhi's anti-pollution drive over the next four months.