Delhi Battles Pollution Through Redeployment of Civil Defence Volunteers

Delhi's terminated civil defence volunteers, previously serving as bus marshals, are being redeployed for air pollution mitigation tasks for four months. The lieutenant governor has urged the government to devise a long-term engagement scheme for these volunteers, considering legal protocols and budgetary provisions.

In a strategic move to tackle Delhi's worsening air pollution, civil defence volunteers, whose roles as bus marshals were terminated last year, will now be redirected to pollution mitigation tasks. This decision follows a directive from Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena, announced on Thursday.

The Governor, who also heads the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, urged the city's government to develop a long-term plan adhering to legal protocols for the volunteers' future engagement after their four-month term concludes, according to an official from Raj Niwas.

The services of approximately 10,000 volunteers were previously halted due to objections from finance and revenue departments. The lieutenant governor has highlighted the need for a humanitarian approach and a structured scheme to utilize these volunteers effectively for environmental control measures.

(With inputs from agencies.)