Goa to spread CCTV surveillance network

A comprehensive CCTV surveillance system will soon be keeping a watch on all public places and places of strategic importance in Goa.

The Goa government wants to build a "comprehensive CCTV surveillance system" throughout the state's public spaces and other key areas, in order to increase security and "curb terrorist and criminal activities", Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told the state legislative assembly Tuesday.

"With the recent increase of security and terrorism threats in the country, the government of Goa would like to proactively build a comprehensive CCTV surveillance system to enhance security for its citizens, tourists and its assets and ensure safety of the same," Parrikar said in a written reply tabled Tuesday during the legislative assembly's winter session.

Parrikar said that an expression of interest towards commissioning such a project would be floated in a few days.

The comprehensive system, the chief minister said, envisaged implementation of a state-wide unmanned surveillance system which will be online 24x7 and monitor both human as well as vehicular movement.

The automated surveillance system will cover major roads, junctions, public places and places of strategic importance.

Parrikar said that some of the key objectives of the project are to curb terrorist and criminal activities, increase public order and safety, and to record and document security breaches and violations of law.

"We are asking for a special grant from the security perspective, being a tourism state," Parrikar said.

Goa, a prime tourism destination in the country, has been on the terror radar for several years now. The chief minister has himself claimed that the state was being used as a safe haven by terrorists and anti-social elements.

In the recent past, noted terror suspects, including David Headley and Yasin Bhatkal, are known to have stayed in Goa and reconnoitred potential targets here.