The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Woeful lack of security

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 19, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Woeful lack of security

If burgling of a
well-guarded museum is possible, planting explosives inside is not an impossible task, writes Marri Ramu

After the terror strikes at Mecca Masjid, Lumbini Park and Gokul Chat, security has been revamped at all places frequented by people in the city.

The police even cracked the whip on some cinema theatres by cancelling their licences for failing to comply with minimum safety needs. But the burglary at State Museum - with six watchmen guarding its premises - raised doubts over the adequacy of secu rity systems at other public and private places visited by a large number of people.

If burgling priceless antique articles from a building guarded by six persons is possible, planting explosive material inside is not an impossible task. That brings into sharp focus the security systems installed at such places. Are these measures enough for public safety? Four full-time employees of the Archaeology Department and two others from a security agency keep a tab on the museum complex housing nine galleries. While museum officials complain that six guards are not enough to look after nine galleries, police find that even those are not trained in basic security concepts.

No lights

The guards just don’t go to the backyard of the museum during the nights because they are worried about snakes moving there. Neither is there proper illumination in the backyard, nor are watchmen given torch lights. The government is spending more than Rs. 50,000 a month towards salaries on the four guards. Surprisingly, no security alarms or camera surveillance systems that have become compulsory in post-terror attack days are installed in the building. Quite different is the situation at private places that have been equipped with modern security gadgets.

When police inspected a noted eatery on Necklace road, the management proudly showed the door frame metal detector at the entrance. High-volume speakers are also affixed at the same place. Ironically, the speakers airing loud music make the beeps of the machine -indicating carrying of suspicious objects- inaudible and thus defeat the purpose of installing DFMD. There are other public places like bus and railway stations that don’t have security systems at all.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh