MMCH Daltonganj faces NMC warning over CCTV live-access delay; BSNL cites technical glitches

THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK

Daltonganj, August 13: Medinirai Medical College Hospital (MMCH), Daltonganj, has come under scrutiny from the National Medical Commission (NMC) over delays in providing continuous live access to its CCTV surveillance system, officials and medical sources said.

The NMC has warned the medical college over the failure to complete the port forwarding of CCTV feeds, a requirement that enables the regulator to remotely monitor teaching activities and faculty attendance.

NMC flags CCTV compliance at MMCH

The medical college has faced NMC scrutiny in the past over several deficiencies, including infrastructure gaps and faculty shortages. Last month, the regulator specifically raised concerns over the installation and operationalisation of CCTV cameras at designated locations and the failure to provide continuous live access to the feeds.

According to medical sources, the NMC has prescribed the installation of at least 25 high-quality CCTV cameras at designated locations across the medical college. The institution is also required to provide the NMC with continuous live access to the cameras and maintain at least 30 days of recorded footage through a network video recorder.

The system is intended to allow the NMC to remotely verify teaching activities and faculty attendance on working days.

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MMCH says 25 cameras already installed

MMCH Principal Dr Jakka Srinivas Rao said the college had completed the installation of all 25 CCTV cameras at the locations prescribed by the NMC.

“We have installed 25 cameras at the designated locations, as prescribed by the NMC. It has already been more than a month since the installation was completed,” Rao said on Wednesday.

He said the cameras cover strategically important areas, including the main entrance, lecture theatres, laboratories and faculty lounge.

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However, the college has not yet been able to provide live access to the NMC because of delays in port forwarding by BSNL, its internet service provider.

“BSNL is buying time and delaying the provision of live access to the NMC. It has already been a month. I and my office are pursuing the matter with BSNL, but without success,” Rao said.

BSNL cites technical glitches

BSNL officials acknowledged the delay and said efforts were underway to resolve the issue.

BSNL Daltonganj AGM Sanjeev Kumar said the technical team was working on the problem.

“Our team is on the job. There are technical glitches. We are hopeful of providing live access to the NMC very soon,” Kumar said.

Asked about the delay, he added, “We are trying hard to ensure port forwarding without any further delay.”

BSNL Daltonganj Deputy General Manager Jagan Mohan Rao, who was on leave and outside Jharkhand, said he would look into the matter.

Later on Wednesday evening, BSNL claimed to have established the functioning of the CCTV cameras and telephone connectivity at MMCH Daltonganj.

MMCH not the only Jharkhand institution facing NMC warning

Dr Jakka Srinivas Rao said MMCH was not the only medical college facing an NMC warning over digital surveillance compliance.

According to him, around 70 medical colleges across India have received similar warnings from the NMC. In Jharkhand, the Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry and Allied Sciences (RINPAS) has also received an NMC warning, he said.

The NMC’s digital surveillance system is aimed at enabling remote verification of teaching activities and faculty attendance, thereby strengthening regulatory monitoring of medical colleges.

College seeks two dedicated BSNL landlines

MMCH has also sought two BSNL landline connections, which are required to be displayed on the college’s official website.

At present, the principal’s telephone number is listed on the website and receives a large number of calls.

Rao said the college urgently required two dedicated landline connections. BSNL provided the two connections at the medical college late Wednesday, he said.