INSPECTION NOTE RECORDLED BY HON’BLE MEMBER SHRI AVINASH RAI KHANNA ON THE VISIT TO
CENTRAL JAIL, GURDASPUR ON 26-09-2009.
On 26-09-2009 I visited
Central Jail, Gurdaspur at about 2-30 PM in the presence of:
Deputy Commissioner,
Gurdaspur.
Sub Divisional
Magistrate, Gurdaspur and
Jail Staff.
My observations
are as follow:-
Capacity of
Jail
The Jail has
capacity of 750 inmates and at the time of my visit there were about 841
inmates in the jail.
The capacity to
keep the women inmates is 75 and at the time of my visit, there were 45 women
inmates in the jail. The detail submitted by the Superintendent Jail is
attached herewith.
Staff
There are 8
vacancies lying in
the jail as per the detail attached along with the report submitted by the
Superintendent Jail.
It is having one
Doctor and one Pharmacist.
Ambulance is also
attached with the jail.
The jail is
having six watch towers which are equipped with the proper security.
There is no CC TV
Camera in the jail.
Water Tank
There was a water
tank in the jail and that has not been used since its construction.
Bath Rooms and
Latrines in the Jail
The jail is
having sufficient bath rooms and
latrines. These are newly constructed and as per Jail Manual, one latrine and
bath room is required/earmarked against 10 persons.
Accordingly, these are available and those were neat and clean.
The barracks in
which the inmates have been kept are having TV facility for the entertainment
of the inmates.
I met all the
inmates man-to-man and they did not report any difficulty in the jail regarding
the behaviour of the jail staff and regarding any
living difficulty therein.
One inmate Nakul Singh of Barrack No. 4 brought to my notice that the
food supplied to the inmates is not of good quality.
Legal
assistance to the inmates
Some of the
inmates have reported that they do not have proper legal assistance provided by
the Government.
Medical
Problem
About 6/7 persons
reported that they are not getting proper medical treatment in the
Hospital. The Doctor accompanied me at
the time of my visit was instructed to provide legal assistance whenever
required and send the report to the Commission.
Minor Inmates
Bachan Lal
and Vishal reported that they are minors. The Doctor
was asked to conduct their ossification test and submit the report about their
age to the Commission.
Issuing of
Death Certificates
One of the
inmates reported that his father had died in the jail, but the death
certificate has not been issued to the heirs of the deceased regarding the
death of inmate.
Inmates have
demanded for a proper ground to play and some cultural activities should be
conducted in the jail.
The women inmates
were kept separately and nobody reported any complaint of any kind at the time
of my visit.
Recommendations
(i) The vacancies lying in the jail should
immediately be filled up for proper maintenance of the jail.
(ii) Proper
medical facility be provided in the jail by posting
proper staff.
(iii) Occasionally
Medical Camps should be organized to check up the medical status of the inmates
of the jail.
(iv) The inmates, who are ill, should immediately be shifted to the Hospitals and
they should not be kept in jail for want of proper guard.
(v) The
Water Tank which has not been used by the jail should be put into operation.
(vi) If
possible, the CC TV Cameras be fitted in the jail for
proper security of the jail.
(vii) The
regular counsellors should visit the jail, so that
the inmates may be advised according to their taste to work in the jail.
(viii) The factory which is situated in the jail should be modernized. As
it was in dilapidated condition, its condition should be improved so that the
convicts may work properly there.