The new measures include a Rs 10,000 fine for every complaint about misbehaviour or extortion received about a marshal, after it is proven
The BMC action comes after many complaints of extortion by clean-up marshals from citizens. Representation pic
After complaints of extortion by citizens over the past year against errant clean-up marshals, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to introduce punitive measures for agencies which provide them.
Based on new clauses, after the renewal of their agreements, contractors will be fined for every genuine complaint, and will also be penalised for not keeping their allotted areas clean.
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Fine if found guilty
The new measures include a Rs 10,000 fine for every complaint about misbehaviour or extortion received about a marshal, after it is proven. There will also be a R1,000 fine for every spot that is not kept clean. "Complaints against clean-up marshals were raised in seven to eight wards including L ward (Kurla) where the clean up marshals were discontinued. Based on the new clauses, every complaint against a clean-up marshal will be reviewed by the zonal deputy municipal commissioner and jury. If found guilty, the agency will have to pay the fine," said a civic official from the Solid Waste Management (SWM) department.
Similar complaints of misuse of power had emerged against the clean-up marshals when they were introduced in 2015. After a public outcry, the service was eventually scrapped. Clean-up marshals were introduced again in 2016 and this time, they were given receipt books, where the offence as well as the corresponding penalty was mentioned, to ensure that no one would be fined over the fixed penalty amount.
Deposit to be raised
The SWM department has also proposed that the educational qualification of the clean-up marshals be increased to class XII from class X, and the security deposit for agencies be increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh. The agencies will also have to ensure that 30 per cent of the clean-up marshals are women and digital attendance will be made compulsory.
Instead of deputing 30 marshals through the day in a ward, the SWM officials have proposed that few marshals be deputed over three time slots during the day. Civic officials from the SWM department said that the contracts with all the agencies have to be renewed, and new terms will be introduced pending the approval of the standing committee.
In comparison to the past two years, there has been a drop in the collection of fines as well, and SWM department officials blamed ward level officials for this. "Because of the increase in the number of complaints, the ward staff didn't want the agencies to continue unless there was need for Swachhata Sarvekshan (cleanliness rankings given out by the Central government) related activities, which led to loss of revenue for the BMC," said the official.
Between July 2016 and July 2017, Rs 9 crore was collected as fines, but between July 2017 and July 2018, the amount dropped to Rs 8.06 crore. There hasn't been much progress after that. Between July 2018 and December 2018 (a period of four months), only Rs 1.11 crore was collected.
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