INSPECTION NOTE OF HON’BLE MEMBER
SHRI AVINASHRAI KHANNA OF HIS VISIT TO CENTRAL JAIL, PATIALA.
On 06.09.2009, at about
Total
area of Central Jail,
The
internal area of the jail is about 80 acres and outer area of the jail is about
14 acres. Total jail is situated in 94 acres of land, out of which 35 acres of
land is used for cultivation purposes and 44 acres of land is used for grounds
and barracks are constructed for inmates. In outer area of the jail, in 8
acres, a training school is going on and in 6 acres of land, accommodation to
officers and staff is provided.
The
vegetables etc. are being sown in the cultivated land which is managed by
convicts lodged in the jail. This land can be used in a good manner
for which experts should be consulted.
Capacity
of Jail:
This
jail has a capacity to keep 1122 inmates, but at the time of my visit, about
1574 inmates were lodged in the jail. The population statement of Central Jail,
Staff:
The
total sanctioned strength of employees of the jail is 194. At preent 176 employees are posted. There is a shortage of 18
employees in the jail. The statement showing the staff strength is attached
with the report which is Annexure ‘B.’
Jail Hospital:
At
the time of my visit, no doctor, no other staff member, i.e. pharmacist
etc. were present in the jail premises. It was reported that since it was
Sunday and staff of the hospital is available on call. It is 11 bedded -hospital.
The kitchen situated in the hospital for patients, toilets were not neat and
clean,
There
is no separate Medical Ward for the females.
In
the hospital, there is a separate T.B. Ward which has a capacity of 9 Beds. The
bath rooms and toilets were very dirty. At the time of my visit, smell of smoke
was coming out from the rooms of the patients. Deepak Kumar and Ashok Kumar
lying admitted in the hospital stated that they are
not produced in the Court on the date fixed for their evidence etc. It is also
reported that diet in the hospital is also not proper, as specific diet is
required to be provided to patients of heart diseases, diabetes etc. but there
is no provision to provide them special diet.
Hardip
Singh son of Jagat Singh inmate of the hospital
reported that he is a heart patient and he has not been provided the diet as
prescribed by the doctors.
It has been
reported that there are only 2 Pharmacists posted in the
Watch Tower:
There
are 13 Watch-towers out of which only 7 towers are working, 6 towers are not
working because of shortage of staff.
Mess:
The
mess where food and tea for the inmates is prepared has a separate building. At
the time of my visit, it was neat and clean and it is managed by about 70
inmates.
Female
Jail Ward:
It
is separately located. This Ward is having one big hall and 2 barracks. In one
barrack, about 4/5 inmates were lodged and other inmates were lodged in a hall
type building which is having attached bath rooms and latrines. Those are very
dirty.
The barracks and the other
place where inmates were lodged, were not neat and
clean. So many barracks were without fan and electricity. Even the barracks
were not provided with dust-bins.
New
toilets were under construction. As per number of inmates, this jail requires
about 250/300 toilets and bath rooms. About 190 have been constructed and 80
are yet to be constructed. Those toilets and bath rooms which have been
constructed, water supply has not been given to these toilets. Without proper
water supply, these toilets cannot be used.
Hotline:
This
jail has the facility of hot line connection.
Tubewell:
One
more tubewell is required to be installed in the jail
to meet the supply of drinking water to the inmates. It has been reported that
the drinking water is not pure. There is also sewerage problem in the jail.
CCTV Camera:
CCTV
Cameras are fitted in the jail, but all are not working condition.
Library:
This
jail has no proper library. The inmates have requested that there should be a
library as they want to read books and newspapers whenever they are free.
About
25 inmates have reported that they do not get proper medical treatment and
medicines. The doctor accompanying me was asked to check up all the patients so
that they can be properly treated. It has also been reported that whenever a
patient is required to be shifted to Civil hospital or
any other hospital, the guards are not provided to take them to such hospitals.
So, in absence of proper arrangement, they are to remain without treatment in
the hospital.
Premature
release of the inmates:
7
cases, the list of which is at Annexure ‘C’ have been moved to DGP Jail for
premature release, but they have not been released so far.
Legal
assistance:
A
large number of inmates have reported that they are not provided with legal
assistance. The Superintendent of the Jail was asked to prepare a list and
provide them legal assistance. So many inmates have reported that their challans have not been presented.
I,
along with the Superintendent of the Jail took the food prepared for the
inmates. It was upto mark. No body complained about
the behaviour of the jail authorities.
Recommendations:
I
recommend that the building where hospital is running,
should be repaired immediately and provision should be made to make this
building neat and clean.
Proper
staff in the jail hospital be provided and the specialist doctors be put in
service and they should visit the jail hospital from time to time. Medical
Camps be organized in the jail by expert doctors frequently.
In
jail, the vacancies which are lying, should be filled
up immediately for the proper supervision of the jail.
Arrangement
should be made for patients of chronic diseases to provide them the diet which
is prescribed by the doctor.
Proper
electricity arrangement should be made in the jail. This jail requires about
300 fans which should be immediately provided in the jail. The jail should be
white washed immediately.
Proper
library with books be provided in the jail. One librarian should also be posted
in the jail or services of an educated inmate can be utilized to run the
library.
A
tubewell should immediately be installed. The
required bath rooms and toilets should be constructed. The old toilets should
be renovated. For the entertainment of
inmates, T.Vs should be provided.
Proper
legal assistance to the inmates who need free legal aid be
provided on priority basis and follow up of cases of the inmates be taken up so
that the inmates may not feel insecure without legal assistance.
The
requisite staff be provided to take the inmates to the
respective hospitals for their treatment. Medicines should be provided in time
to the inmates.
CCTV
Cameras be put in order which is for the security of
the inmates of the jail.
Dust-bins
etc. be provided in the jail.
In
the jail, the necessary provision be made to keep the
jail neat and clean.
Regular
counseling by experienced persons from different fields be
put in service to visit the jail for the guidance and teaching of the inmates
of the jail.
Some
advice of agricultural expert be taken to make proper use of the land situated in the jail.
The
reports of the inmates whose cases have been moved for their premature release be obtained.
-Sd-
( Avinash Rai Khanna )
Member