TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: The strong rooms housing the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) of the South Goa Lok Sabha constituency may have been located a one-and-half kms from the District Collectorate, South.
But, a round-the-clock vigil was maintained over the strong rooms and the counting centre from the district Collectorate via CCTVs. In fact, a total of eight closed circuit TV cameras kept a constant watch over the strong rooms in particular and the counting centre in general, monitoring the movements of anyone and everyone in and around the two colleges – Kare College of Law and Damodar College of Economics located in Vidya Vikas Mandal’s educational campus.
While two cameras each are exclusively focussed on the seals on the gates leading to the strong rooms, two other cameras kept a watch on the overall movements within the buildings and outside.
Says South Goa Additional Collector-I Venancio Furtado: “My office is connected to the CCTV cameras installed in the counting centres at the Vidya Vikas Mandal. The CCTV cameras are in addition to the round-the-clock security arrangements at the counting centre by the paramilitary personnel and Goa Police”.
Besides the CCTV coverage, a senior administrative office made regular rounds of the counting centre from day one. “Senior staff requisitioned from various departments, including the PWD, was posted at the counting centre in shifts for round-the-clock security”, informed a senior official.
Armed paramilitary personnel have been guarding the counting centre from April 13 morning – the day when the EVMs were sealed in the two colleges early morning in the presence of election observers. A couple of bunkers stands erected inside the campus, while a fire tender was stationed outside the centre right from day one as a precautionary measure.
As per arrangements, while Kare Law College will have 10 counting halls, Damodar College will play host to counting of votes from the eight Assembly segments of Salcete in four halls.
