Shimla Drone Surveillance allegations dismissed: CM Sukhu clarifies in house

Shimla, Sep 3,

In the ongoing recent assembly session, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu addressed concerns raised by the Leader of Opposition, Jai Ram Thakur, regarding alleged drone surveillance of his residence. Thakur had claimed that a drone was being used to monitor his home, raising privacy and security concerns.

However, Chief Minister Sukhu clarified that a thorough investigation had revealed the drone was not involved in any surveillance activities. Instead, it was being used by the Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Limited (SJPNL) as part of a survey for the World Bank-funded water supply project.

Also read: Shimla Drone controversy: Mapping project mistaken for Surveillance

The drone survey, conducted by M/s SUEZ India Pvt. Ltd., aims to create a base map for the water supply system in Shimla. The data collected is limited to physical attributes of buildings and is gathered from the sky. Chief Minister Sukhu assured the assembly that residents’ privacy is protected, as the data will not be shared with third parties.

He also noted that the drone had briefly hovered over his own residence on the morning of the assembly session, further dispelling any surveillance concerns.

Permission for the drone survey was granted by the district administration on August 3, 2024, and was communicated to local police stations. Due to inclement weather, only 60 percent of the survey has been completed. The Chief Minister indicated that an additional 15 days of permission would be sought to finish the remaining work.

The Chief Minister’s statement aimed to alleviate any fears of unauthorized surveillance and to highlight the critical infrastructure work being undertaken for the city’s water supply system.