Marshals in Bengaluru have been empowered to levy fines on citizens who are not wearing masks or maintaining social distance. The marshals in south zone have been given a target to achieve every day.
In an order issued to a marshal supervisor, Munish Moudgil, Secretary of Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, who has been deputed as zonal coordinator in south zone, has said that marshals should book a minimum of 20 offenders per day in each Assembly constituency coming under the zone. Any failure to meet this target will lead to action on south zone marshal supervisor and the division supervisors concerned. Action would be initiated under Disaster Management Act, 2005, for “deliberate failure to take action to control COVID-19 without any further notice.”
BBMP officials, on the other hand, are not taking this too kindly. A senior official, on condition of anonymity, said that setting such targets was highly unrealistic. “It is a double whammy for the marshals, who are also facing a lot of public ire. The setting of targets will also create ill-will among the citizens,” the official said.
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BBMP’s Special Commissioner D. Randeep said that with repeated instances of public aggression against marshals, he had suggested to civic chief N. Manjunath Prasad to ensure that there is a police constable accompanying the marshals.