Air Pollution Crisis: LG approves redeployment of Civil Defence volunteers

New Delhi: In a move to tackle the ongoing air pollution crisis in the national capital, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Wednesday approved the redeployment of Civil Defence Volunteers (CDVs) for a four-month period from November 1, 2024 to February 28, 2025.

The decision marks a reversal of the previous termination of CDV services, effective November 1, 2023.

Saxena also urged the Delhi government to formulate a dedicated scheme for bus marshals, as he outlined in a letter to the chief minister on October 24, 2024, and reiterated on November 2, 2024, an official statement from the Raj Niwas said.

The lieutenant governor emphasised the need for a well-defined scheme that clarifies the roles, rationale and service conditions for bus marshals, the statement said.

According to the statement, the lieutenant governor has also directed the government to take immediate steps towards creating official posts and ensuring budgetary provisions, aiming to resolve the issue with a long-term structured plan.

The removal of over 10,000 civil defence volunteers, who had previously been deployed as bus marshals, was initiated following objections from the Directorate of Civil Defence.

The Directorate argued that these volunteers were initially intended for disaster management roles and not for public transport security. The lieutenant governor had last year approved the proposal to terminate the deployment of CDVs as bus marshals and recommended that the then Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal consider utilising these volunteers in the over 10,000 sanctioned posts of home guards, highlighting the need for a better-aligned use of their skills and services.