Paucity of funds and alleged corruption has derailed the ambitious CCTV installation work in the town.
Katihar-based Balajee Computers, which had taken up the Rs 15-lakh project and had completed the wiring at Ambedkar Chowk, had to stop midway.
The firm has stopped setting up cameras in other parts of the town as well owing to funds crunch, said the firm’s proprietor, Manish Nayak. He also alleged that mayor Vijay Singh had asked Rs 10,000 as commission to facilitate the project. Sources said Katihar Chamber of Commerce and Industries member Narottam Joshi had paid a cheque of Rs 45,000 in favour of Balajee Computers on October 7, 2014, after installation of four cameras at Shahid Chowk.
The cheque was given to Nayak through mayor Vijay Singh.
“Singh took Rs 10,000 from me in cash as commission,” Nayak said.
He added: “I had embarked on installing cameras before Durga Puja and completed work at Shahid Chowk. But I faced difficulty in payment and there was a lot of corruption. I stopped work on Friday. It is difficult to say who will pay if I continue my installation work.”
Singh, who had initially said the civic body would pay for installation, did a U-turn when The Telegraph enquired about how it would pay the money if a proper bidding was not done.
When he was asked whether he took the commission of Rs 10,000 from Nayak, he refuted the charge.
“It is only an allegation levelled against me by Nayak. How could I demand and take commission if development work is taking place and this project is being supervised by the superintendent of police (SP)?” SP Kshatranil Singh had taken the initiative to install CCTV cameras after a meeting last month with members of Katihar Chamber of Commerce and Industries and the civic body.
The SP said: “I have called a meeting of Katihar Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Balajee Computers and the civic body in which we would discuss the matter and try to find out the veracity of the allegations.”
According to the plan, the devices would be installed at 15 spots, including Shiv Mandir Chowk, Bata Chowk, Panitanki Chowk and Argara Chowk.
