Institutes install monitoring devices

C N Rawal,principal of the Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce (BMCC),said the college had installed around 16 cameras a year ago to monitor the campus. “The cameras have been installed at the main gates,passages and near the library. Our’s is a big campus and even after having installed 16 cameras,we feel the need for more. We will be getting around seven more devices by the end of the year.”

Even the University of Pune campus have CCTV cameras installed in the campus. “We have cameras at eight locations. We monitor the footages whenever thefts happen in the hostels,” said R V Patil,executive engineer,UoP.

Schools are also following a similar trend. Kamini Saxena,principal of Kalmadi Shyamrao High School,said,“We are in the process of getting a few cameras installed at crucial places like the entrance gates and laboratories.”

No rules,norms in place: experts

At a time when CCTV cameras are being installed at public places and premises of housing societies and educational institutions to spruce up security,experts say that there are no definite rules in place in the country on how to use the security monitoring gadget. “There are no rules or Act to regulate the use of CCTVs in the country. The only norm is that one needs to indicate an area where CCTVs are installed and put up a board stating ‘This area is under CCTV surveillance’,” said senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam.

Advocate Milind Pawar,former president of Pune Bar association,also said there are no rules in place to curb the misuse of CCTVs. “According to the Information Technology Act,CCTV footages are accepted as evidence in courts. However,with wide use of CCTVs,there is a need for rules pertaining to installation and use of CCTVs,” said advocate Harshad Nimbalkar.

AADITI JATHAR LAKADE