MARGAO: Navelim villagers have knocked on the doors of the South Goa Collector to initiate an inquiry into the installation of CCTV cameras in the village.
While requesting the Collector to find out which agency is involved in installing the CCTV cameras, the villagers under the banner of Navelim Civic and Consumer Forum have called for an immediate halt to the ongoing work till the authorities establish the agency and the purpose of the work.
In a memorandum, the NCCF pointed that a group of men have been found roaming around with a ladder in Aquem-Baxio, Navelim since the last couple of days. “We saw them climbing the roadside electricity poles and installing some types of fixtures and a continuous cable. They speak only Hindi and carry no identification. When some group of villagers asked them as to what they were up to, they said that they are installing CCTV cameras at the road junctions. When asked to produce their work order and the plan for installation, they could not. In fact they could not even tell us who has ordered the work, whether it was some government department or a private party,” stated NCF Secretary Joseph Vaz.
He said that since the area comes under Margao Municipal Council, the villagers made a complaint to the chief officer, who told them verbally that no such order has been issued by his office.
“We at Navelim Civic & Consumer Forum strongly object to the installation of CCTV cameras in residential areas which will infringe on our privacy and could be misused if they are installed in the wrong places like in front of private residences, places of worship, etc (as it seems to be),’ Joseph said, demanding to know whether the exercise is to keep a track on robbers or keep surveillance on the citizens.
