MARGAO: With the State witnessing a worrying spike in crimes—from murder to daylight burglaries and even kidnapping attempts – one would think surveillance and vigilance would take top priority. The authorities however seem unbothered by the fact that CCTV cameras across the State are largely non-functional, and in many busy places, non-existent.
Police Inspector Gautam Salunke of the Traffic Cell, Margao, told Herald that there are presently 23 cameras installed at 11 different locations across the city, but none of them are functional.
"We have written several letters to the MMC to initiate repair works so that proper vigil is kept on the anti-social activities in the commercial city of Margao,” said Salunke.
Herald has also found that the 37 CCTV cameras that were installed across the commercial city in 2013 have not been maintained or repaired in the past decade.
The Margao Municipal Council had once stated that the civic body sees no profit in utilising its funds to install or maintain CCTV cameras.
“The murder of the goldsmith in the streets of Margao in 2020 should have been a wake-up call for the authorities,” said Salunke. It may be recalled that the police had to hop from one establishment to the other, trying to get hold of footage of the attack on businessman Swapnil Walke, from privately owned cameras.
Even the proposal mooted by then Rajya Sabha MP, late Shantaram Naik, to install CCTV cameras in Fatorda at a cost of Rs 3.40 crore never saw the light of day.
Agnelo Fernandes, former MMC Chief Officer said that the civic body, during his tenure, could not afford to install and maintain the cameras. “However, I had written to the Directorate of Municipal Administration, requesting the sanction of extra funds for the maintenance of the cameras, but did not receive any reply,” he said.
Former MMC Chairperson and convenor of the Shadow Council for Margao, Savio Coutinho, refused to accept the lack-of-funds excuse. “Isn't it a fact that crores of rupees of grants have to be returned on account of non-utilisation?” he questioned. “I recall that the installation of CCTVs under the MPLAD Scheme was done with great fanfare, as part of the "Smart City Concept,” said Coutinho.
“Strangely, nobody knows the actual number of cameras installed then. There were conflicting reports about the number- while some officials said 54 cameras were installed, a contractor engaged to revive the system in 2020 only found 37 cameras,” he added.