Team Herald
CALANGUTE: Security has been beefed up in the village of Calangute after 60 CCTV cameras were installed to help prevent and detect criminal activity.
This will be monitored by a joint team of police and a voluntary citizen committee. The main areas covered are Baga Beach, Tito’s Lane, Calangute Beach and all the other major road junctions.
“We have received a lot of complaints with regards to robbery, touts, drugs and street fights. CCTV cameras are installed for the security of the tourists as well as the locals. The control room will monitor the cameras to detect and respond to incidents. The room will be placed in the panchayat and we request that one police personnel to be posted to monitor the same. Lot of anti-social elements can be put behind bars if we successfully make use of this system brought to our doorstep. Additional cameras at the entry and exit points of the village will be covered in the second phase,” said Calangute Sarpanch, Shawn Martins.
“CCTV footage will be available for Calangute police and others in the survey room. There has been an increase in the number of tourists visiting Calangute compared to the past. The quality has gone and the quantity has come in. We are doing a lot to make the village look smart and have the infrastructure. We need to do more to bring the quality tourist back to Goa. At Candolim beach, there are a lot of robberies happen. There is a need to install CCTV cameras at more locations where crimes occur. This will also help to curb the drug menace in the coastal belt,” said Calangute MLA and Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo.
“I hope we can keep a tab on this from the police station as well, by which we can monitor the village. We can take steps against the offenders accordingly. There are many drugs addicts and hence there is also the need for a drug rehab centre here,” said Calangute PI, Nolasco Raposo .
