Chennai: The state government has informed the Madras high court that it has sanctioned Rs 39.79 crore towards purchase and installation of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Cameras, Door Frame Metal Detectors and Hand Held Metal Detectors to all the court complexes in the state.
Government pleader M.K. Subramanian produced a copy of a government order to this effect before a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M. Sundar when a Public Interest Litigation from advocate S. Kasiramalingam came up for hearing.
Disposing of the PIL, which sought a direction to the state government and Registrar General of the High Court to install CCTV cameras in all the courts in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the bench said, “The government order has been passed on November 29, 2016. Now the tender will have to be floated, which should be done expeditiously so that the installation work takes place at the earliest. List the matter for compliance on February 1, 2017”.
Based on the proposal of Registrar General, the government, in its order dated April 17, 2015 had sanctioned Rs 1.67 lakh towards purchase and installation of CCTV cameras in four places in the high court premises (i.e.) the First Bench, the chambers of Chief Justice, the chambers previously occupied by Justice Chitra Venkatraman (now retired) and the chambers of Registrar General of the High Court, in the official residence of the Chief Justice.
In G.O. dated April 4, 2016, the government had sanctioned Rs 7.68 crore towards purchase and installation of CCTV cameras, Door Frame Metal Detectors and Hand Held Detectors for Madras high court complex and Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Egmore (being shifted to Allikulam), George Town and Saidapet.
The Registrar General has sent a comprehensive proposal to the government with copies of revised estimates, a pro forma invoice and all the breakup details and requested to sanction Rs 39.79 crore. Accepting the same, the government has now sanctioned Rs 39.79 crore. The necessary funds will be provided in Revised Estimate/Final Modified Appropriation 2016-2017.
