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Govt slow to act on promises
A month later, the state government seems to have put the July 13 serial blasts - and the subsequent promises about plugging loopholes in policing and security apparatus - on the backburner.
A month later, the state government seems to have put the July 13 serial blasts - and the subsequent promises about plugging loopholes in policing and security apparatus - on the backburner.
Following the attack, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan had said that the government was determined to do everything possible to avert such attacks in the future.
But, the pace of work by the state suggests that even the two basic issues Chavan said would be handled on a war footing will take at least a year to take shape.
“You can’t expect things to materialise in a day. The CM has put in place certain systems to speed up upgradation of communication networks and CCTVs as promised, but all procedures cannot be bypassed,’’ said an official in the chief minister’s office. So far, the CM has set up a committee under chief secretary Ratnakar Gaikwad to handle communication technology upgrade and setting up of CCTVs.
Additional chief secretary (home), Umesh Chandra Sarangi said that on both the fronts, the home department had initiated action. “We are looking at an entire makeover of police wireless system including emergency communications and we are studying different systems in Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. A preliminary report has been presented but we would like experts to go through it before it is carried forward and submitted to the chief secretary and then the CM.’’Sarangi said that the government would set cameras up by the end of this year.
The home department has issued tenders and is looking at private companies that can provide the entire solution – cameras, software to analyse the footage and control room to respond to it. In both the cases, despite best intentions, no decision is likely to be taken any time in the near future.
Another reform initiated by home department, to reduce VIP security and pump in that force for security, was waylaid following protests .“
The GR had to be amended after many ministers protested. It will go back to CM for clearance after making some changes,’’ said a senior official.
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