CCTV cameras nowhere in sight in Pune

Even as the German Bakery bomb blast completes two years next week, the CCTV cameras meant for security purposes in the city are still not in place.

The recent report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India states that most of the CCTV cameras procured at a cost of Rs1.25 crore during the Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG), 2008, are lying unused in godowns.

As part of the security arrangements for the CYG, the organising committee (OC), headed by tainted city MP Suresh Kalmadi, had made elaborate arrangements. The then commissioner of police, Pune, was responsible for looking after the security arrangements during the games.

According to the report, the total budget for procurement of necessary infrastructure was Rs67.70 crore. The report mentions that the director general of police, Mumbai, had sent a budget requirement of Rs23.59 crore to the director of sports and youth services (DSYS). But the state home department released only Rs17.63 crore in phases in 2008.

However, only Rs9.40 crore of the released amount was spent to purchase the necessary security equipment.

The Pune police, as per the report, had asked for CCTV cameras, high-vision goggles, portable X-ray machines, hearses and mini-buses.

The 71-page report points out serious irregularities in the purchase of security equipment, as well as the way they were used.

Mentioning the CCTV cameras, the report states, “A budget of Rs1.25 crore was sanctioned for the procurement of CCTV cameras. The Pune police commissionerate had asked for more cameras from the DSYS for the central monitoring system (CMS). In order to fulfill the demand of the Pune police, the DSYS procured 14 still cameras, and four speed dome cameras valued at Rs22.42 lakh.”

During a joint inspection by CAG and DSYS, it was revealed that CCTV cameras and other equipment valued at Rs33.60 lakh were found lying in the godowns, the report said. It also said that the Pune police, in 2009, had asked for CCTV cameras to be used for security surveillance in the city.

“However, citing the impending Commonwealth Games (CWG) in New Delhi, the DSYS refused to part with the CCTV cameras. But the cameras were not utilised during the CWG and thus, till March 2011, they were lying in the godowns unused.”

After the German Bakery blast on February 13, 2010, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had made budgetary provisions for installing CCTV cameras in public places for security purposes. However, the project remained on paper.

When asked about the location of the camera, additional commissioner of police (crime), AD Shinde, said, “I was not there during the process of procurement. We will have to check the status.”