Webcasting to help control idol immersion procession

Around 1800 idols are expected to be immersed on September 6 and 7 by various Hindu outfits and security arrangements are already in place to ensure a smooth run. Periodic meetings have been held by officers of all ranks with the main organisers and down to the grass root level leaders on guidelines to be observed during the immersion.

“In addition to this, the web casting technology would help us assess if there are adequate measures in place,” the top cop said. Ten different teams including the mobile police units on ground with hand held cameras will be working round the clock and top officers believe it will ensure better management. Ten points — Washermanpet, Pulianthope, Egmore, Triplicane, K.K. Nagar,

Madambakkam, Selaiyur, Tambaram and Velachery — have been identified to be sensitive areas and ‘extra eyes’ are expected to come in handy while the idols would be crossing these areas, another senior official said.

Police have been using webcasting for effective surveillance of law and order, traffic management and during demonstrations and agitations for almost a year now.

A senior police official said, “It helped us assess the situation better during the funeral procession of the slain Hindu Munnani leader, K.P.S.Suresh Kumar on June 20,” The commissioner reiterated, “Sometimes, it would be difficult for the officer on ground to assess the situation and through this technology, the supervisory officers can guide them as and when needed,”

The police department is expecting around 200 cameras to be installed in as many patrol vehicles, a proposal already sanctioned by the CM, J.Jayalalithaa. For a big city like Chennai, such systems are imperative for effective management, the commissioner said.