CCTV cameras help Mangaluru corporation check littering in public places

Mangaluru City Corporation has adopted online surveillance to keep an eye on those who litter in public places and thereby help in checking black spots in its jurisdiction.

Despite the MCC carrying out a door-to-door waste collection, the dumping of garbage in a few public places continues and black spots had come up in various locations in the city.

To keep a tab on miscreant littering, the corporation has procured six cameras to place it in the areas that record the highest littering.

Depending on the complaints from the public, the MCC is installing high-resolution solar cameras. Owing to the initiative, a black spot that had heaps of garbage at Akashbhavana ward has now turned into a clean area, MCC Commissioner Akshy Sridhar told DH.

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"After the MCC placed portable CCTV cameras, people stopped dumping waste at the black spot in Akashabhavana. The wireless and wi-fi enabled cameras with day and night vision are placed at the black spots, depending on complaints from the public.

"The portable camera unit is mounted on a 15-ft high pole and has a solar panel of 40AH battery. It can be shifted anywhere based on the requirement. Each camera has enough storage capacity as well," sources said.

The camera unit sends footage from the spot to the Command Control Centre to help the officials identify the miscreants and take necessary action. Even the health inspectors can check the footage through their mobile phones, he said.

Sridhar said, "People should develop a civic sense and keep their surroundings clean. These black spots mar the beauty of the city. The MCC has repeatedly created awareness drives on the health hazard and inconvenience caused by littering in public places.

"Recently, miscreants in three vehicles were caught disposing of garbage near Nandi Gudda crematorium by the cameras. The vehicle numbers were noted, and a case has been filed against them at Mangaluru South police station."

Following complaints from the public on the dumping of waste near Nethravathi bridge, the MCC has filed a complaint in the police station.

"Even after installing grills on two parallel bridges across River Nethravathi, several miscreants continue to dump waste into the river by stopping their vehicles near the bridge. The authorities should initiate action against such miscreants," said Prakash, a commuter.

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