588 Delhi schools to have CCTVs

After installing web cameras in mid-day meal kitchens under its jurisdiction, the south Delhi civic agency will soon implement surveillance in 588 schools, an official said Saturday.

South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), the first civic body in the country which implemented camera surveillance to monitor main kitchens of NGOs that prepare mid-day meals, is now planning do the same in schools.

"We are planning to install CCTV cameras in 588 schools under our jurisdiction as it becomes easy to monitor and inspect schools. The survey of the schools has been done to see how many cameras will be needed in each school," Satish Upadhaya, chairman, education committee, SDMC told IANS.

He added the cameras would be installed by March 2014 and first priority would be given to girls schools.

"With constant surveillance we can effectively monitor the school campus, any complaints of corporal punishments and security breach. Like the mid-day meal online monitoring system, the footage of the cameras in schools will be stored for five days in a week and corporation officials will be able to view it anytime," he added.

The civic agency has installed 25 cameras in kitchens of NGOs Ekta Shakti Foundation, Iskcon Food Relief Foundation and Jay Gee Humanitarian Society.

The move comes after the tragedy in Bihar, in which 23 children lost their lives after consuming a contaminated mid-day meal.