SHILLONG, FEB 26: “The government has many plans for our capital city and CCTV surveillance is just one of them. Our ultimate aim is not just to create Smart City, but making Shillong a livable city is our agenda” Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma said while inaugurating the CCTV surveillance under Safe & Secure Shillong at Shillong Sadar Police Station on Thursday afternoon.
The wireless mesh network connected CCTVs are put up in 30 locations in Shillong and Tura in the first phase, while the whole city and other district headquarters would be covered in the second phase. The Safe & Secure Shillong was launched by the chief minister on October 19, 2012.
Sangma informed that this system could be used for many other services besides crime and traffic control and said the state government in its endeavour to realize the dreams it dreamt on behalf of the people, had found the right partner in NECTAR, whose technology is comparable globally, adding that the project would be expanded to areas beyond Shillong. Despite financial crunch because of unforeseen fall of revenue the state had spent nearly Rs. 3 crore for the project in Shillong and Tura and NECTAR had shared certain component of the expenditure, Sangma informed.
“Now that we have this support system, the expectations of the people will be higher” Sangma said and urged the departments concerned to use the technology in a manner that can scale up their efficiency, also stressing on the need to upscale the level of commitment. He also stressed the need to leverage on this technology to make the people of the state self-regulating.
Sangma also informed that the state government would take the technology further to check influx and illegal immigration.
State home minister Roshan Warjri, who addressed the gathering as the guest of honour, expressed hope that CCTVs would help to reduce crimes in the city and also act as deterrent to criminals and said that more professionalism need to be pumped into the system. She also spoke of the need for surveillance of the highways in the State.
Chief secretary PBO Warjri said that the fact that the state has this system in place should not make us complacent and expressed hope that the police would make use of it in such a way that the benefits of the technology reach the citizens.
The new state DGP Rajiv Mehta also said that the technology would bring about qualitative change in the force. He however said that technology alone would not deliver and stressed the need for hard work.
Earlier, NECTAR DG Sanjeev Nayar highlighted on the technology of CCTV surveillance and said that this could form the basis to make Shillong Smart City. A visual presentation was also made on its salient features, while East Khasi hills SP M. Kharkhrang, who chaired the function spoke on the activities stepped by the department after the launch of Safe & Secure Shillong.- By Our Reporter
U know i wonder y the govt dnt install these in Garo hills where militants abduct,extort,kill everyday! Y chose the peaceful city of shillong when u still have an option?