The Hindu 28.02.2013
CCTV mandatory in all public buildings
R.Rajaram
As a measure to control crime, the State government has
made installation of closed circuit television (CCTV) units mandatory in
all public buildings, commercial establishments, and places where
public congregate in large numbers.
As per the Tamil
Nadu Urban Local Bodies (Installation of Closed Circuit Television Units
in Public Buildings) Rules, 2012, CCTV units should be installed in
every public building by the owner or occupier of that building falling
within the territorial area of an urban local body – Corporation,
Municipality, and Town Panchayat.
Copies of the order
have been circulated among others to the Commissioner of Municipal
Administration, Commissioner of Town and Country Planning, Director of
Town Panchayats, Director General of Police, and all District Collectors
besides to the Housing and Urban Development Department as well.
Public
building, according to the new rule which came into force on December
14, 2012, denotes any building where public have an access for any
purpose.
The rules apply to schools, colleges,
universities, or other similar educational institutions including
private ones, hostels where more than 100 persons reside, hospitals,
nursing homes, dispensaries, clinics, maternity centres having a floor
area of 500 square metre and above, star hotels, boarding and lodging
houses, marriage halls, cinema theatres, amusement parks, recreation
centres, bars, assembly halls, auditoriums, museums, markets for display
and sale of merchandise, shops or stores either wholesale or retail
having a floor area of 500 square metre and above, banks, ATM counters,
insurance companies, jewellery shops, shopping malls, cinema theatres,
petrol filling stations, bus stations, places of religious worship and
places of religious, political or social congregation where more than
500 persons assemble at a time, industries where more than 100 persons
are employed, institutions of IT services, radio broadcasting and
television stations, offices of central government or any State
government or any local authority or any corporate owned body or
controlled by Central or State government where over 100 persons are
employed or having a floor area of 500 square metre and above, office of
any quasi-governmental organisation or any government undertaking
controlled by Central or State government where more than 100 persons
are employed or having a floor area of 500 square metre and above,
libraries, public concert rooms, clubs having a floor area of 500 square
metre and above and bus stations or terminals.
The
CCTV units should be installed at vantage points such as entry and exit
points, corridors and reception areas. It should be installed in all
existing public buildings within a period of six months from the date of
the rules coming into force.
If the CCTV units are
not installed within the time limit, the regular type trade or business
licence issued by the competent authority under relevant statutes to the
owner or occupier of that building may at any time be cancelled or
suspended, it goes on to state further.
The
Corporation Commissioner and the Executive Authority of the municipality
and town panchayat have been directed to ensure that the CCTV units
were installed in the public buildings in the manner as prescribed in
sub rules (2) and (3).
According to the rules, every
person intending to construct or reconstruct a public building should
make necessary provision in the building plan for the installation of
CCTV units while applying to the urban local body concerned seeking
permission for execution of work.
The Commissioner or
the Executive Authority of the urban local body have been asked to
ensure that necessary provision were made in the building plan for
installation of CCTV units before according permission for construction
of new public building or its reconstruction.
They
have also been directed to ensure that the CCTV units were properly
installed upon receiving the intimation of completion of construction.
Police
sources say the government order has been communicated to field level
city police officers, instructing them to advise the owners or occupiers
of public buildings to install CCTV units.
If
CCTV units are not installed within the time limit, the trade or
business licence issued to the owner or occupier of the building may be
cancelled or suspended, writes R.Rajaram.
