Kangra administration orders installation of CCTV cameras at religious places within 3 days

The Kangra district administration in Himachal Pradesh on Monday asked all temples, gurdwaras, churches, mosques and other religious places to install CCTV cameras on their premises within three days so that movement of visitors can be monitored amid the coronavirus lockdown.

Action will be taken against management of any such places that do not comply with the order, it warned.

It is mandatory for all religious places in the district to install Closed Circuit Television Cameras (CCTVs) at all important points within their premises in three days, Kangra Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Prajapati told PTI.

Specific orders have been issued to religious places and if any religious place does not abide by the order then action will be taken against its management as per law, he said.

Prajapati said, "Entry of public has already been banned in all shaktipeeths, temples, mosques, churches, gurdwaras and other religious places in the district. Installation of CCTVs will ensure that visitors can be monitored."

He said the step is aimed at checking the spread of coronavirus. Prajapati also announced that the harvesting season will begin in Kangra from April 15. He said all those involved in farming activities have been instructed to follow government guidelines issued in view of the COVID-19 outbreak.

In Indora, Nurpur, Fatehpur and Nagrota Surian blocks of the district, harvesting of the rabi crop will start on April 15; in Pragpur, Rait, Dehra and Kangra blocks on April 20; and in Nagrota Bagwan, Dharamshala, Bhawarna, Panchrukhi, Lambagaon, Bhedu Mahadev and Baijnath blocks on April 25.

The harvesting of potatoes will start in the last week of April.

"The work can be carried out round the clock, depending on the convenience of the farming community," Prajapati said.

"During the harvesting of crops, farmers and labourers will have to follow social distancing, wear face masks, and use sanitisers or hand wash," he said.

All farming activities will be monitored by concerned officers under the supervision of the respective sub-divisional magistrates, he said.