The Indian Express         15.10.2013

CCTV project for PMC and PCMC cleared by home dept, says Pawar

A month after the state government cleared CCTV project for Pune and
Pimpri-Chinchwad, the home department, whose final approval is
important as the project is related to security, has also given a green
signal to implement the proposed project. This was announced by Deputy
Chief minister Ajit Pawar on the sidelines of the District Planning and
Development Council (DPDC) meeting in the city on Monday.

“The home department had to give its final nod, which was done today,” said Pawar.

Under the project, which is pegged at Rs 225 crore and involves
installation of 1,400 CCTVs, the monitoring has to be done by the Pune
Police Commissionerate with control rooms to be set at both
corporations. “The project was delayed owing to hiccups in the tender
process, which has been sorted now. With the home department giving it
nod, the project will be implemented soon,” said Pawar.

When asked about the Rs 2 crore traffic plan, he said the traffic
police needs to utilise funds that were cleared in July. The traffic
police had recently purchased 1,200 barricades which were distributed
among 33 traffic divisions in the city.

Talking about the state cabinet’s nod to Pune Metro, the Deputy
Chief Minister said the High Power Committee appointed by the government
will take decisions on new proposals pertaining to the Metro.

The committee comprises chief secretary, additional chief
secretary, principal secretaries of the urban development department and
finance and planning department, and the municipal commissioners of
Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

“The project will not face any delay as the approvals can be
given by the committee without having to take the long route of cabinet
nods,” he said.

With the fleet of 500 buses approved under JNNURM funds, Pawar
assured the pending demand of as many as 1,679 buses will also be met
soon.

Pawar said Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan was looking into the
allegations of social activist Anna Hazare and Medha Patkar who have
demanded a judicial inquiry into the sale of state sugar factories which
led to bankruptcy. “As citizens they have the right to make such
allegations. The Chief Minister will take a final call on it,” he said.

The activists had alleged the sugar factories were first made sick by politicians and then sold to private firms owned by them.

On illegal constructions, he said, “We have to see whether an appeal can be made to the advocate general on the matter.”