Photo caption.
These CCTV cameras have not been functioning in the commercial capital since the last six months. Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
Welcome to the Commercial capital, where theBig Brother has gone into deep sleep, literally, since the last six months, while the authorities appear in no hurry to revive the Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) cameras installed with much fanfare for crores of rupees under the MPLAD scheme of former MP Francisco Sardinha.
The Margao Municipal Council has been literally sitting over a proposal from the district Collector to bear the maintenance cost of the CCTV cameras, but in vain. Indeed, traffic violators and the anti-social elements have been virtually having a field day since the last six months, with all the 34 cameras lying in a non-working condition since September last.
The traffic department had drawn attention of the South Goa District Collector Swapnil Naik to the problem, following which a panel was set up to examine each of the 34 cameras and identify the problem, but the ground reality remains unchanged.
Traffic DySP, Prabodh Shirwaikar informed that all the 34 CCTV cameras have been non-functioning since September for want of maintenance. “My office had written to the district collector following which a meeting with the Chief Officer and other officials was called to resolve the problem. A penal consisting of an IT expert and traffic was also set up to examine each and every camera. We have inspected all the cameras, barring two, which could not be completed in view of the intervening election code of conduct," DySP Shirwaikar said.
When Margao Municipal Council Chief Officer Y B Tawde was contacted to shed light on the development, since the district Collector had told the civic body to take up the maintenance work, he conceded that the responsibility of maintenance lies with the municipality. “When I was the district Additional Collector, South, I too had sent a proposal to the civic body to take up the maintenance work on the CCTV cameras, but in vain. Any fresh correspondence received from the district Collector’s office will be again placed before the Council for an appropriate decision," Tawde said.
Tawde said the unusual situation has arisen against the backdrop of the fact that the agency entrusted with the maintenance work has reportedly withdrawn after the expiry of the contract with the government.
The 34 CCTV cameras installed at strategic locations across the commercial capital had come in handy for the traffic department to reign in on the traffic violators. The facility was also availed by the police to track down on criminals in the aftermath of house breaking thefts reported in the city.
