SUKKUR: About half of the 45 CCTV cameras which had been installed at a cost of Rs30 million at different points across the city two years ago have stopped functioning after having developed various faults or disappearance of their vital parts, Dawn reliably learnt on Monday.

The cameras, installed from the funds of MNA Noman Islam Shaikh, were meant for security of important roads, streets and trade centres and to help curb terrorism, street crimes and activities of criminal and anti-social elements.

The cameras at Clock Tower, Minara Road, Ayub Gate, Barrage Road, Military Road, Workshop Road, Lab-e-Mehran, Bunder Road, Station Road, Shalimar Chowk, Queen’s Road, Stadium Chowk, Civil Hospital, Dolphin Chowk, Neem-Ki-Chari and other places do not work.

They have been out of order for various reasons, but mostly because of lack of interest by police who are supposed to operate and look after these tools which often prove a great help in identifying criminals.

The present and past police officials posted at 15 Madadgar Centre disclosed on condition of anonymity that only 12 cameras were functioning while the rest were out of order after their different parts like batteries, cable and UPS had disappeared over time.

According to in-charge of Control Room 15 Madadgar, Mohammad Asif Mughal, of the 45 cameras, 20 faulty ones were being repaired and upgraded by a team which had arrived from Karachi and all cameras would start working soon again.

Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2015

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