Team Herald
Ponda: On 31 December 2015 CCTV surveillance system was installed in Ponda City by installing 22 cameras at prime locations and junctions with intentions to provide safety, to control crime, to vigil on traffic violation helping the authorities to keep vigil in City area and as per expectations these cameras proved major deterrent to crimes, traffic violations for at least one year. After cameras surveillance people were thinking twice even to park their vehicles in no parking area as traffic department were issuing challans based on these sytem, but there after since past two year one by one all the cameras became defunct and now since last one year the condition is more worsen. Now not only traffic violations rised but chain snatching, theft of bikes parked in city roads are also taking place as there is no scare of CCTV which are non operating.
The Cable connecting to CCTV cameras installed on Electric poles are seen snapped and hanging downward towards ground at Bus Stand and Alemeida High School Ponda which are the prime locations in the City, showing the worst situation due to lack of maintenance and repairs of CCTV system.
The system was monitored through Ponda Police Station with each of 22 cameras were seen functioning. However the Police Officials too on condition of anonimity said that they too are facing hardship in detecting crimes in absence of non function of CCTV cameras. The traffic department officials to felt the absence of CCTV cameras to control traffic chaos and parking violations. However as of now everybody learnt that this CCTVs are non functional since past one year indiscipline, traffic violation, driving from wrong sides and indiscipline in parking has been increased.
The CCTV cameras that were installed in Ponda City three years ago through MPLAD fund by South Goa MP Adv.Narendra Savoikar are now become defunct due to lack of annual maintenance work due to which they are mere become show piece on City Electricity Poles. The maintenance work was given to PMC which failed to do so from time to time due to lack of cooperation from agency which was bound to conduct annual repairs. The Locals in Ponda City are demanding to conduct repairs and maintenance work of CCTV cameras as it helps to control unwanted activities and crimes.
Ponda Municipal Council Chief Officer Navnath Naik agreed to fact that CCTV system in defunct however said that it is the priority of PMC to get it repair. He said the Contract of CCTV installation as well as maintenance work was given to Nripur Technology , but despite after several reminders it did not responded to annual repairs and maintenance, however now when it is responded it is quoting high amount as much as more than Rs 4 lakh per year for conducting repairs which is not affordable to PMC. The Ponda Municipal Council has recently therefore passed resolution to issue fresh tender to undertake repairs and maintenance of CCTV cameras and process is on in this regard. He said those quoting lowest tender amount will be awarded the job of repairs and maintenance. He said many of CCTC Cameras are become faulty as well as cables of it in some places are snapped after coming to contact of vehicles with more height. He said PMC is very much interested to make functioning of CCTV cameras as they are necessary to maintain vigil in City areas.
Vinod Naik at Ponda said all the 22 cameras seems not working. He said if it is difficult to maintain so much number of cameras than PMC should installed only few cameras at Prime entry and exit points.
