Panjab University (PU) is all set to ensure surveillance of incidents of crime on the campus,including sexual harassment and thefts as well as keep an eye on the visitors from the new academic session. The University is going to install high resolution closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras to keep vigil on all entry points of the university. The proposal for installing the high-resolution cameras has already been approved and budget has been set aside for the purpose. The officials state the resolution of the cameras which are already in place,is not sufficient enough to record registration numbers of vehicles or capture clear images during the night. We have been facing difficulties in tracing the vehicles involved in criminal activities. Replacing the old cameras we will be able to maintain the better security. The cameras will be installed before the new session begins in July, said Chief Security Officer (CSO) P K Dhawan. The estimated cost of each of the cameras will be Rs 50,000. Compared to the normal cameras - worth around Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 - that are currently in place on the campus,these high resolution cameras can capture images with better clarity. The total estimated cost of these cameras - to be installed at the three entrance gates of the university - was Rs 1.5 lakh. Thefts at the university campus and the parking lot have become common in the last couple of months. Few months ago,a group of miscreants had taken away valuables from a car by breaking the rear windshield glass of the car in one of the parking lots in the campus. Also,the number of complaints regarding sexual harassment received by the security office as well as the university authorities has gone up in the last one year.
