Kolhapur becomes first district to ensure 100 percent CCTV coverage in schools

The change involved tapping into the alumni association, the local industry, and the village panchayat for the project. Instead of accepting any funds, the Zilla Parishad decided to ask people to buy the CCTVs and help in its installation. Every school, Karthikeyan said had its general register which has the details of students who passed out and their contact numbers.

When the project was started 9 months back, only 52 of 1958 rural zilla parishad schools had CCTV coverage. (Express photo)

“Our plan involved contacting the alumni and asking them to finance the setting up of the project,” he said. Every school, he said, has an average of 3-4 cameras with state-of-the-art CCTV with recording being available at each school. Block Development Officers (BDO)s and other officials were trained in the technicalities of the project. At some places the local village panchayat was asked to chip in.

When the project was started 9 months back, only 52 of 1958 rural zilla parishad schools had CCTV coverage. Thanks to the mobilization of the public sentiments and grass root level officials the district has managed to ensure 100 per cent CCTV coverage of the schools. Each camera had costed Rs 13,500 which was done through public funding. “Thanks to the mobilization we have managed to finish the project. On Republic day, this project which we called as Shiksha Kavach will be inaugurated at the hands of the Guardian minister on Sunday- i.e. Republic Day,” he said.

Last year in August, the sexual molestation of minor girls in a prominent co-educational school in Badlapur had rocked the state. The accused who was killed in an encounter later on, was a conservatory staff in the school. The state had seen protests and agitation about the incident.