Inspection note of
Hon’ble Member Sh Avinash Rai
Khanna to the Observation Home, Ludhiana.
On
25.07.2009, I visited Observation Home,
CAPACITY :
The Observation Home is having capacity to keep 100 inmates, but at the time of my visit, 44 inmates were present. This Observation Home is made for keeping the accused of minor age of 6 Districts, i.e. Ludhiana, Patiala, Sangrur, Rupnagar, Fatehgarh Sahib and Mohali.
STAFF :
This Observation Home is having insufficient staff. There is no Sweeper posted in the Observation Home. There is no permanent cook posted in the Observation Home. There are two care takers who look after the inmates of the Observation Home.
KITCHEN :
This Observation Home is having no proper kitchen. Make-shift arrangement has been made to prepare the food. A temporary cook has been employed. The inmates are asked to help the cook in preparation of the food.
BATH ROOM AND
TOILETS:
The toilets and Bath Rooms of the Observation Home were very dirty. A foul smell was coming from the Bath Rooms. The inmates are asked to clean the latrine and Bath Room as there is no Sweeper to clean the Bath Rooms and Toilets.
DRINKING WATER
FACILITY:
There is no proper Drinking Water Facility in the Observation Home. Only one tap is there to feed the inmates and other staff of the Observation Home. The hand pump fixed in the Observation Home is out of order.
SITTING ARRANGEMENT FOR VISITORS:
There is no sitting arrangement for the visitors. If any body comes to meet any of the inmates, there is no facility available for the visitors to sit or stand in the Observation Home. He has to stand under the trees and to sit on the ground.
The inmates made a complaint that their parents are not allowed to meet as per Jail Manual. On enquiry, it was reported that they are allowed to meet their parents once in a month.
LEGAL ASSISTANCE :
About 9 inmates have reported that they are without legal assistance from the Government.
ENTERTAINMENT FACILITY :
There is no provision for the inmates to undergo any sports activity. Even the Television lying in the Observation Jail ws not allowed to be used by the inmates. On enquiry, it was reported that only once in a week the inmates are allowed to watch Television programme.
On my enquiry from the inmates, they showed their interest towards study, but there was no teacher in the V to teach the inmates.
There is a factory adjoining the Observation Home which creates nuisance for the inmates. They reported that it is very difficult for them to sleep in the night due to the noise created by the factory.
Raj Kumar, Pardeep Kumar, Vijay Kumar, Gaurav Kumar, Ajay Kumar and Ravi Kumar have reported that their challans have not been presented by the Police so far.
RECOMMENDATIONS :
I recommend that the Observation Home will be provided with a permanent Sweeper, a permanent Cook and more Care-takers for the proper running of the Observation Home.
The In-charge of the Observation Home has requested the Government to release a grant of Rs.2,00,000/- for fixation of grills etc.
and to spend on the further maintenance of the Observation Home, to the Government of Punjab, but the grant has not been released. The Government be asked to release the grant, as requested by the In-charge of the Observation Home.
Proper legal assistance be given to the inmates of the Observation Home.
Proper sitting arrangement be made for the visitors who come to meet the inmates.
The visitors be allowed to meet the inmates as per Manual/Rules.
Proper entertainment facilities be provided to the inmates as per Rules.
Proper kitchen be constructed for preparation of the food for the inmates. The food should be checked by some official of the Administration twice in a week.
Proper Drinking Water facility be provided in the Observation Home. The hand pump which is out of order, be put in order.
The nuisance caused by the factory adjoining the Observation Home be checked.
The authorities of the Observation Home be asked to verify the facts of non-presentation of challans and advised to to the needful for the presentation of challans in time by the Police.
-Sd-
(AVINASH RAI KHANNA)
MEMBER
28.07.2009