Such transparency is what people want.
If politicos go live we shall have full-time entertainment.
Congratulations to BESCOM, Bangalore Chief.
With one determined stroke, he has cut the Gordian knot of secrecy and corruption that define the bureaucracy in the public mind. The CCTV cameras installed in his chamber are linked to Bescom’s website, and anyone can go online and see what the MD is doing at any time of the day — be it meeting politicos or his officials, or even having his lunch!
All that one has to do is go to www.bescom.org and click on the link, ‘view of MD chamber’, to catch the ‘action’ inside Manivannan’s cabin in the power utility’s office at K R Circle. Two cameras strategically fitted into the ceiling capture every movement inside the cabin. The footage is available in real time on the website. The move is reportedly the first step by the engineer-bureaucrat in making Bescom more consumer-friendly while emphasising its public obligations under the Transparency Act.
“Most IAS officers do not even keep their cabin doors open. Some others, including those with the Lokayukta, have spy cameras fitted in their chambers to nail those who offer them inducements. But Manivannan is the first to allow the whole world to see all that transpires in his cabin,” said an admiring Bescom junior engineer.
Throughout his career, Manivannan has had a reputation for honesty and sincerity — the very attributes that have made his transfers controversial. His transfer from the Hubli-Dharwad Corporation evoked public protests, while his transfer from the post of Mysore DC led to street demos by students and other citizens. One politico who has realised his true worth is energy minister Shobha Karandlaje. As in-charge minister of Mysore district earlier, she had a first-hand knowledge of Manivannan’s capabilities. Not willing to lose a gem of a bureaucrat, she roped him in as soon as she landed the energy portfolio.
For other Bescom offices too
A senior Bescom official told Bangalore Mirror, “The idea is to install these cameras in all Bescom offices, and we have started by installing them in the MD’s cabin.”
Another official said, “When you know that somebody is watching your actions, you will be more cautious. After all, we are government officials and have to be accountable to the public.”
The two cameras diagonally opposite each other provide a view of the entire chamber. Thye have been installed at a cost of Rs 18,000 and have an ethernet link.
http://ramanisblog.in/2011/02/03/bureacrats-chamber-goes-live-transparency-at-its-best/
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