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Surveillance cameras to be installed

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The Hindu              30.08.2013

Surveillance cameras to be installed

Special Correspondent

Government order on installing cameras at public places to be implemented

The Tiruchirapalli City Corporation, in consultation with the police, will soon install surveillance cameras across the city. The proposal was cleared by the Corporation Council at an urgent meeting chaired by Mayor A. Jaya on Thursday.

An official resolution, which was approved by the council, did not give out too many details on the proposal except to point out that the State government had ordered the installation of surveillance cameras at public buildings, commercial complexes, and places of public congregation to check crimes. As a follow up, the Commissioner of Police has requested the civic body to fix the cameras.

The corporation will call for tenders soon to fix closed circuit television cameras in places specified by the city police in each of the four zones. The contractors will be vested with the task of maintaining the cameras for three years subject to the conditions and specifications laid down by the corporation and the police. Agencies given the contract would be allowed to advertise at places of their choice, subject to government regulations, and approval of the District Collector.

Responding to a question from MDMK councillor, M. Mohamed Mustafa, Commissioner V.P. Thandapani said the locations where the cameras were to be installed would be placed before the council for its approval.

M. Anbazhagan, DMK, pointed out that a similar attempt to install surveillance cameras in some places had proved to be an eyesore as they were erected atop a series of poles and urged the officials to ensure that the mistake was not repeated.

The council gave its nod for introducing a licence system for private tanker lorries engaged in cleaning septic tanks and disposing wastewater in the city. All such private sewage tankers would soon require licences. The civic body would charge an annual licence fee of Rs. 2,000 a vehicle and Rs.30 a trip for letting out the waste water at the Panchapur sewage farm. Sewage lorries operating without licence would attract a penalty of Rs. 5,000 and the vehicles would be seized if they were caught for the offence for the third time.