Mangaluru: As crime cases are on the rise, the Dakshina Kannada district administration had directed every establishment to install superior quality CCTV cameras so as to reduce the crime rate and also help nab culprits.
A review meet in this regard was held at the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Monday, December 7. According to the details collected, all 40 temples classified under A category in the district were equipped with CCTV cameras. As many as 23 out of 25 temples in B category had the cameras installed in them. In Mangaluru Taluk, cameras were installed in 22 A listed and 12 B listed temples, whereas none among the 472 temples including 160 in Mangaluru under C category in the district had cameras.
DC AB Ibrahim informed the officials concerned that all the temples should be equipped with cameras before the season of fare commences.
It is learnt that there are 605 mosques, out of which 95 are considered major and the rest 510 as minor. None of them have the used the CCTV camera facility. In response, the DC cautioned the WAQF board to take the matter seriously and install cameras as soon as possible.
Schools
There are 301 unaided primary schools in the district out of which cameras have been installed in 219 schools. Among the 240 unaided high schools, only 96 schools are facilitated with close circuit cameras.
Among 219 aided primary schools, only 96 schools have cameras while 88 out of 121 aided high schools are provided with the facility.
Only 620 out of 1975 government schools have the facility, while another 69 per cent of the schools are yet to receive the provision of cameras. The DC informed officials that cameras must be first installed in high schools as there are grown kids and the work must be undertaken on priority.
Others
As only 76 out of 147 petrol bunks have installed cameras, the district Superintendent of Police Dr Sharanappa said that all the bunks must install the cameras within a particular timeframe and atleast two cameras in every bunk must face the road.
As 11 out of 451 bars in the district are yet to install cameras, the DC issued a final warning and said that action will be initiated against the bars that fail to install cameras by December end.
Warnings were also given to cinema halls, stadiums and hospitals who failed to install cameras.
SP Sharanappa said that inter-state borders must be first line of closure and directed officials to be on high alert, especially after the Madikeri incident.
DC Ibrahim said that care should be taken to ensure that the functioning and quality of the cameras be good and measures be taken by the respective establishments to ensure storage of the CCTV footages.
He also directed establishment owners to ensure that cameras are faced towards parking areas and the roads so that vehicle
numbers and images of individuals are captured.
