Thiruvananthapuram: Official inertia has compromised the security at the central prison here as the surveillance cameras have been nonfunctional for nearly three years now. The jail authorities seem to have no interest in making them functional again.
The jail at Poojappura houses over 1,300 inmates and several serious incidents are reported regularly. Earlier, the authorities took action against wrongdoers based on the visuals obtained from the surveillance cameras. With the cameras no longer working, it is reported that illegal activities are rampant inside the prison.
Though the UPS system to which the cameras are connected has also been damaged now, the authorities concerned are yet to take any measure to repair them. Tenders were invited for the purpose some time ago, but no further steps were taken.
The problems started in December 2015 when 88 cameras became dysfunctional. As no maintenance was carried out, the UPS and batteries also suffered damage, leading to the entire surveillance system becoming out of order.
The cameras were installed at the main gate of the prison, circle blocks, interview hall etc. Keltron had set up the cameras and was in charge of the technical aspects of the surveillance system, but it was not given the annual maintenance contract.
The bid to replace a damaged battery failed apparently due to lack of funds. Jail authorities informed higher authorities about the matter several times, but there was no response.
Superintendent clueless
When contacted, Vinod, superintendent of the prison, said that he had no idea about repairing the cameras. “Surveillance cameras installed by Keltron often become nonfunctional after a couple of years. Measures to set them right should be initiated by the Prisons Headquarters,” he claimed.