Salt Lake security system down due to cop

KOLKATA: The North 24-Parganas police from time to time have tried to gear up security measures in Salt Lake to prevent crime activities. One such initiative was the installation of the Radio Frequency Identifying Device (RFID) that was introduced in AE Block of Salt Lake last year. But like most of the initiatives, this system has crumbled due to lack of interest or monitoring from Bidhannagar police.
The system was introduced around June-July last year in Salt Lake's AE Block in the presence of the then DIG (Presidency Range) Soumen Mitra and then SP Supratim Sarkar. A chip was fixed in 22 houses in the block and it had been said at the time that the system would be introduced in several other blocks as well.
The objective of the system was to check whether the night guards appointed by the block committee were properly doing their duty. A card had been handed over to the night guards, who were asked to punch it on the chips installed on the walls of selected houses in the locality. Once the cards were punched, the RFID used to show the time and spot where the card was punched and this way, the block committee could properly monitor whether the guards were doing their duty properly.
However, after around five to six months, the system crumbled. "The system worked for about five to six months after which one of the devices got damaged. It had to be repaired and we had contacted the police, but there was no initiative from them. The system is not functional now as the device has not been repaired till date," said AE Block Samaj Kalyan Sangha president Monimoy Saha. Apparently, it had also been said that two policemen would assist the night guards on bicycles, but they were never seen.
Rahul Srivastav said the system was introduced before he joined as the North 24-Parganas SP. "I will have to check the matter with my predecessor," he said.
Bidhannagar police have now introduced the global positioning system in which micro chips have been fitted in police cars that are directly connected to police control rooms to monitor their movements.