Team Herald
MARGAO: Margao’s Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) camera system has gone off for several days now, making the town vulnerable to security threats and reduced control on traffic problems, as it enters the peak season.
MMC, which is responsible for maintenance of the CCTVs, has failed to execute any maintenance contracts for the repair and restoration of the system.
The town’s CCTVs serve as an integral part of security and safety systems, doubling up as a traffic regulator justice mechanism for road-related offences. The Traffic Cell has written to the District Administration informing of the collapse of the CCTV system after which a committee under the chairmanship of the Additional Collector was constituted.
Additional Collector Roncon Pereira, Chairman of the Committee said, “The system as and when is found stopped we have a meeting and decide on the restoration. In this case the repairs have to be done by MMC who is the beneficiary of the system.”
MMC Chief Officer Yashwant Tawde said that after the warranty period ended there was no more maintenance conducted. “Since the CCTV has been given under MPLAD, the maintenance will have to be done by MMC. Now the report will be submitted and we will have to look into the matter,” Tawde said.
The system has completely crashed due to MMC’s slow pace in getting it resolved.
There are at least 34 CCTV cameras which have gone off. Traffic Cell Police Inspector Mohan Gaude said, “The inspection of the system was held and the IT Department team will soon submit a report on the same,” he said.
According to sources there have been several discussions with all the concerned authorities regarding the CCTV maintenance.
A recommendation to repair the CCTV system was sent by Tawde when he was Additional Collector over a year back, but the issue never made it to the agenda of any of the MMC meetings.
