The espionage scandal in the Union petroleum ministry may be just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to stealing government secrets with an eye on corporates who may be willing to pay handsomely to gain a profitable edge. One important lesson from the plot is the utility of CCTV surveillance in government offices handling sensitive information. It was only last year that surveillance cameras were put in place in the ministry, and they have paid off in capturing those who tried a Watergate-style operation in broad daylight.
While a debate may rage about Big Brother covertly spying on citizens, the need for camera surveillance in offices cannot be overstated. The presence of 1,000 cameras on Delhi’s streets during President Obama’s visit underscored the point that surveillance is a necessary “evil” when it comes to security. It is a different issue that a court had to rule against cameras in the restrooms of a multinational company in Chennai.
Civil and human rights activists may argue that, in their surveillance infrastructure, societies are beginning to resemble an Orwellian concept of a police state. The presence of CCTV cameras reflects the harsh reality of life. No matter installation costs and the cost of employing technical and security personnel to monitor the tapes, they must be employed in greater numbers. The march of science, as reflected in face-recognition software, may seem frightening, but the innocent have nothing to fear and only a sense of reassurance to gain from CCTV surveillance.
