Upgradation of prison condition within six months, govt assures HC

Ranchi, Sep 4 (UNI) The Jharkhand government today said the problem of jails being overcrowded would be reduced by the end of this year and announced a slew of measures to upgrade the prison condition all over the state.

The government informed this to the High Court as per an earlier order about the progress achieved in this direction.

Among some major plans being implemented, Mr Rajeev Ranjan Mishra appearing on behalf of the state government said water harvesting had been made mandatory for all jails and the project aimed at fighting water crisis was expected to be completed by March next year.

The government admitted that there was shortage of security staff for there was no provision of appointment of such employess in the rules here, and the government would take services of ex-servicemen.

Regarding shortage of medical staff, the government would take services of leading doctors on honorarium basis from the areas concerned of the jail.

The High Court directed the government to submit further progress report by October 24 next.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Muthuswamy Karpagavinayagam and Justice Amreswar Sahay passed the order while hearing a PIL filed by one Amit Kumar.

Earlier, the court had directed district judges and district sessions judges to make on-the-spot study and file report on with the condition of the jails.

The reports said the jails were overcrowded and there was no proper medical facility due to shortage of staff.

The inmates lived like animals, it added.

UNI