Navi Mumbai municipal schools to get CCTV cameras
Amid increasing reports of minors being subjected to sexual assault on school premises in Navi Mumbai, the the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) will soon instal Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras at all 70 of its civic schools. The move is on the heels of a police recommendation that schools be under CCTV surveillance as a precautionary measure.
The importance of this security measure on school premises was brought home by the alleged rape of a nine-year-old girl inside the toilet of her school in Vashi in September. The victim confided to her mother about the incident. She said, an unidentified person took her to a toilet after covering her mouth with a handkerchief and raped her. The incident took place as she was entering school. Since there were no CCTV cameras installed in the school, the accused was never identified.
Meanwhile, police will send notices to schools to take precautions to ensure the safety of students on the premises. Sudhakar Pathare, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1), said, “Apart from requesting schools to instal CCTV cameras, we have also asked schools to hire guards from certified security agencies, who can keep a record of people entering and leaving the school.”
DCP Pathare added, school management and staff should also ensure the CCTV footage be retained for at least a week, and not just for 24 hours, as is usually the practice.
NMMC Commissioner N Ramaswamy said this proposal was tabled in the committee in March and the project is underway. “At this juncture, the project is at tendering stage. All civic schools in the city will be under CCTV surveillance by the end of this financial year. Each school will be installed with CCTV cameras after thorough individual survey. The results of the survey will determine the number of cameras required per school.”
Explaining how installation of CCTV surveillance costs as low as Rs 14 per student, parents will not mind paying a minimal amount to ensure the safety and security of their children. Lopes Diago, Principal of St Xavier’s School in Nerul said, “Our schools are well-equipped with CCTV surveillance. Lack of funds cannot be an excuse for not having one. We have installed cameras everywhere and a student has to pay just Rs 14 more for the security.”
Parents will breathe a sigh of relief over the decision, as it will mean improved alertness and security, said an educational activist.