CCTV cameras will be must in new buildings in Maha: Deshmukh

Setting up CCTV cameras will become mandatory in new buildings in Maharashtra, Home

Minister Anil Deshmukh told the Legislative Council on Wednesday.

The CCTV cameras will be connected to the state Home department's Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems

(CCTNS), he added. The announcement came while the opposition BJP has

been aggressively raising the issue of "rising" crimes against women in the state.

"We will amend the current rules and make setting up of CCTV cameras mandatory in every new building coming up in

the state. We will also connect the feed of such CCTV cameras with our existing CCTNS network," Deshmukh said while replying

to a calling attention on the crime against women. The Home minister further said that 5000 more CCTV

cameras will be added to the existing network in Mumbai. Deshmukh also said the 'Manodhairya' scheme will be

modified to include other inflammatory items such as petrol or diesel among others which are used for attacking women in many

crimes. The state-run scheme currently caters to the victims

of rape, acid-attack survivors and children who are victims of sexual offences.

When the members raised issues related to counselling of women victims, Deshmukh said, "Pune Police runs a 'Bharosa'

cell where trained staff counsel survivors of sexual assault. "We will try to open such cells across Maharashtra,"

he added.