NEW DELHI: The CCTV cameras, supposed to provide safety to the public, are not safe in the national capital. About 74 CCTV cameras installed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government across the city have been stolen or destroyed.
Taking cognisance of the matter, the Delhi Government has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and directed the Public Works Department (PWD) to take strict action by providing alarm and additional lock system to secure these cameras and their parts.
“The alarm will alert the RWAs and officials at the Command Centre as soon as anyone tries to open the box or CCTV cameras. The RWAs will take immediate action and inform concerned officials to get a new camera installed,” said an official. Also, no one will be allowed to repair the CCTV system without prior confirmation from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), which maintains the CCTV cameras, or the concerned authority.
According to sources, along with the cameras, other parts of the CCTV system such as sim card, hard disk, etc have also been stolen and destroyed. The contract for maintenance of these CCTV cameras is given to BEL and as per the contract, all equipment is under insurance. Thus, as soon as any error will be reported in the application or at the command centre, BEL shall install a new CCTV camera, said an official.
The Resident welfare Associations (RWAs) has also been asked to ensure that no one is allowed to touch the CCTV without the presence of its representative or a resident. One member of RWA and the house that has a supply connection to the CCTV and the wifi will be given the viewing rights. “They will only be able to view and not delete. If they find any errors in views of the recording, they shall immediately alert the officials,” said an official.
When asked about the theft of CCTV cameras, a Delhi Police official said that such petty crimes are often committed by drug addicts. In some cases, some thieves also removed the CCTV to escape the law, he said.