Prison reforms: Udhampur jail overcrowded with prisoners Space for 250, nearly 350 lodged in the jail

Prison reforms: Udhampur jail overcrowded with prisoners
Space for 250, nearly 350 lodged in the jail
Nitesh Sangral
JAMMU, Apr 09: The prisons department of the Udhampur has claimed to the sufficient spaces in their prisons and authority managed the inmates. But the Annual report 2010 to 2011of Jammu and Kashmir State Human Right Commission reveled that in the Udhampur prisons the living conditions of inmates given the overcrowding is reported fair by jail Superintended but not so by the jail inmates. The living conditions, sanitation, hygiene medicate, and treatment of inmates is partly and in a measure looked after. According to report, it has at one point of time the capacity of accommodating 250 prisoners when in fact its present population is 335 inmates. Among the 335 inmates of Jail, 12 are convicts, 250 are under trials, 49 under trial militants and 201 under trial common law, 71 détentes (22 in militancy related cases and 49 in common law case), 1 foreign national (Under trial) and 1 civil prisoner (convict). There is overcrowding and problems rooted to it. Jail authorities are facing problem number of problems relatable to inmate’s health, prison discipline and management of the inmates, because of this crowding. With onset of summer months, the problem is bound to aggravate and the things to grow grimmer. The Jammu and Kashmir manual of 2000 is started to be followed in respect of diet, clothing, bedding and communication. The per day chart of diet scales given are started to be annexure to jail manual. LPG gas is used in cook houses and appliance is given that by an arrangement with the prisoners, more or less food is prepared and cooked. The barracks expect a few are ventilated, ceiling fans are installed and even in some of the barracks television sets and water coolers are also installed. It is hearing the inmates and jail authorities on consideration it is seen that 100grams of milk per minute per day is quite insufficient and does not seem to serve the health care requirement. The milk component of diet needs to be increased by minimum of 50grams to make it 108 gram per inmate per week. It will be advisable that on expert advice a fresh look is take on need basis of quality and quantity of food articles and drinks to comprise daily diet of the inmates. Report further says in there no library is as such maintained for the studies. In fact it is seen that as in other district jails of the state, the concept of library is non-existent in the jail. There does not appear proper arrangement required even for small library in the jail. Some ways and means of feeding information and giving ideas to bring a change in the attitudes of the prisoners, on expert advice need to be put in place in this behalf. It is reported that there is a ten bedded functional hospital in the Jail to provide 24 hours health care to the prisoners and staff. A medical officer is sanctioned for the Jail, but at present no doctor is permanently posted in hospital of the jail. The information shows that para medical staff is not provided as per sanctioned strength. Instead it is seen that as against sanctioned para medical staff, presently the hospital is under staffed. However doctor from district hospital Udhampur is visiting the hospital twice a week and also need also on the emergency call. Since last two years clearly shows that district level officers headed by district session judge udhampur and comprising district development commissioner and SSP udhampur have not visited the jail. Other complaint is that fruit brought for the inmates by relatives when they meet and interview them is not given to the inmates. Instead just a small portion say (1\4th ) reaches the inmates and remaining 3\4th is just misappropriated. The superintendent jail has denied the allegation and has stated that as no such not arise. The grievance is that the food provided is wholly sub standard and if a prisoner and inmates complains about it then he is punished by confining him in a cell for days together. The complaint voiced is that the medical facilities are not available to the inmates and a physician visits the Jail rarely.