The Kochi Corporation council will this week consider a proposal to set up 150 surveillance cameras in the city to curb the illegal dumping of waste.
A Kozhikode-based firm had won the bid to set up the cameras on build-operate-transfer mode.
The firm will take care of the installation and maintenance of the cameras, which have night vision facilities. The cameras will be networked with the surveillance system of the city police. The police are also setting up another 150 cameras in key city areas, said T.K. Ashraf, the chairman of the Health Standing Committee of the Kochi Corporation.
The illegal dumping of waste, especially within the city limits, has been causing headache to the city administrators. Refuse from meat stalls and slaughterhouses were seen dumped in waterbodies and open spaces in the city. The administration had also stepped up vigil to prevent the dumping of waste in drains and waterbodies.
The focus of the civic body will be to curb the illegal practice. The cameras will be set up at strategic points as suggested by the councillors. At least two cameras each will be installed in one division, he said.
The police have already gone ahead with the project. The clearance of the council is required for the civic administration to give green signal for the project, said Mr. Ashraf.
The selected agency will be permitted to fix advertisement boards and hoardings in road medians and posts located in the city area. The agency can sell the space and generate revenue. The project will not financially benefit the civic body. As the government had already taken away the right of the civic body to collect advertisement tax, there was no question of the Corporation sustaining any financial loss, he claimed.
The company will maintain the cameras for at least 10 years. A few surveillance cameras that were installed by the civic body earlier became non-functional for want of proper maintenance. This time, modern and powerful cameras will be installed, he said.
