Chief Minister Atishi on Monday said that the ten thousand bus marshals and civil defence volunteers will be deployed at ground zero in fight against pollution and the registration process in this regard will start within a week.

After chairing a high-level meeting for deployment plan for bus marshals and Civil Defence Volunteers (CDVs) in pollution mitigating activities, she informed media that as the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) restrictions intensify, they will assist enforcement teams at Delhi’s borders.

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CM also said that the civil defence volunteers and marshals will be deployed at the pollution checking centres to prevent vehicles from obtaining pollution certificates by illegal means.They will also be deployed in support of MCD and Delhi Pollution Control Committee’s enforcement teams and for public awareness campaigns against pollution.

She mentioned that the DPCC has formed 33 teams that are consistently monitoring dust prevention at construction sites, and the bus marshals will be assigned to these teams as well.

According to her, with the implementation of GRAP restrictions under stages III and IV likely in future, there are also limitations on the types of vehicles that can enter Delhi, and therefore, these Bus Marshals will be deployed at the borders to assist the Transport Department’s enforcement teams in checking compliance.

Atishi noted that there are 13 pollution hotspots and 27 additional locations in Delhi where pollution levels are elevated and require monitoring. Bus Marshals will be stationed at these areas in coordination with the MCD’s Deputy Commissioners, she added. “Additionally, Bus Marshals and Civil Defence Volunteers will support the MCD’s inspection teams, which are actively monitoring construction and demolition waste, illegal dumping, open waste burning, and the use of diesel generator sets,” said CM.