The Times of India 05.09.2012
Mangalore City Corporation now has ‘marshals’ for council meets
MANGALORE: Smartly dressed men in white uniform now guard the entry gates of Mangala council hall of Mangalore City Corporation.
Regular employees of city corporation drawn from its various sections
including town planning, and establishment, double up as ‘marshals’ to
carry out orders of the Mayor as and when the council convenes under the
city’s first citizen.
These ‘marshals’ also regulate the entry to the
visitors’ gallery.Incidentally, BBMP at the first council
meeting of the greater Bangalore civic body chaired by then Mayor SK
Natraj had forwarded a resolution
to the state government seeking services of ‘marshals’ to regulate
unruly behaviour by corporators. But this has not fructified so far just
as a similar resolution adopted by the city corporation here for
regular marshals drawn from state police and a task force on lines of BMTF be set up locally as well.M Shankar Bhat, former mayor, during whose tenure such a resolution was
adopted told TOI that the powers of ‘marshals’ should be well-defined
so that they can discharge their duties effectively.
Else these
‘marshals’ who are regular employees run the risk of earning the ire of
corporators in case the former evict the latter on directions from the
Mayor. The government has also consistently denied our request for a
BMTF like task force, he added.K Harish Kumar, commissioner
said duty of ‘marshals’ is to regulate entry of officials and
corporators from separate entrances at the council hall gates and enter
the council on Mayor’s direction. The white uniform given to the
‘marshals’ has letters MCC emblazoned on front pockets, shirt sleeve as
well as their cap with green and yellow shoulder straps. Nonetheless,
this is a first of its kind venture for any city corporation in the
state, he avers.
