Times
of India: Thane: Thursday, 26 November 2015.
Thane's Yeoor
hill range is popular amongst morning walkers, cyclists and wild life
enthusiasts. But what is surprising is that the entire range spread across 65
sq.kms is being supervised by just two closed circuit television cameras
(CCTVs).
An RTI filed
by a youth, Mayuresh Hendre, revealed that there are just two CCTVs installed
at the entry gate of the Yeoor Hills. Hendre, a bird watcher and wildlife
photographer had filed an RTI in July inquiring about the security and CCTVs at
Yeoor. Hendre was shocked to read the reply that said that Yeoor has just two
CCTVs installed near the gate. Hendre said, "We had conducted a
cleanliness drive at Yeoor and found many empty liquor bottles which can harm
the animals. That's when it struck me about the forest security and I filed an
RTI." He further said, "I was surprised that the security of such a
big forest depends on two CCTV cameras."
A
representative of Yeoor Environmental Society(Yeoor Environmental Society is a
group environmentalists, wildlife photographers, many NGOs who work towards the
conversation of the Yeoor forest), Aditya Salekar said, "The second gate,
located near Patonapada, which leads to the core area is unmanned, people can
easily sneak in from there. There is no CCTV installed at that gate which
surely leads to illegal activities.
The forest
department should install more CCTVs for proper surveillance. Several incidents
like vehicle accidents, youths drinking and having durgs, firings, etc. have
all gone unnoticed, as there are no cameras to nab the culprits.
Sanjay
Waghmode, range forest officer said, "We have requested the authorities to
install more cameras inside the forest. There are four forest officers who
regularly check the forest, but more cameras are needed."
"The
authorities need to install at least 10-12 CCTV cameras at strategic locations
inside Yeoor to keep vigil," added Salekar.
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