Dariya News: Chandigarh: Saturday, July 14, 2018.
“Number of
prisoners lodged in jails of Punjab have are overcrowded by 95% of their
sanctioned capacity and no welfare policy has been formulated by Punjab
Government for improving the conditions of inmates who are constrained to live
in inhuman conditions in jails” these views were expressed by AAP General
Secretary Adv. Dinesh Chadha,Spokesperson Adv. Jastej Singh and treasurer
Sukhwinder Sukhi in a press conference on the basis of information received
under RTI Act.As per the information received from the office of Addl. Director
General of Police (Jails) Punjab under RTI Act, AAP leaders revealed that 1215
male prisoners are lodged in Central Jail, Ferozpuragainst the capacity of
1100as such 114 (10%) exceeds the sanctioned capacity. Similarly, total
capacity of Central Jail Patiala is 1688 for male inmates which currently has
1790 prisoners which means the jail is overcrowded by 102 (6%) inmates.
Revealing the figures further, they said that on the same pattern, Central Jail
Amritsar has the capacity of 1982 inmates while it houses 3127 prisoners which
are 1145 (57%) more than the sanctioned capacity. Central Jail Hoshiarpur is
having 819 inmates against the sanctioned capacity of 478 as such there are 341
(71%) more inmates. District Jail Sangrurhas the capacity of 584 male prisoners
whereas actually it has 843 male prisoners which is 48% more than the limit.
District
Jail, Roopnagar is the most overcrowded jail as it houses 660 male inmates
against the sanctioned capacity of 338 which is 95% more than the sanctioned
limit. Mansa Jail has a sanctioned capacity of 401 male prisoners but it has
691 prisoners which is 72% more than the limit. Sub Jail Patti has 262 male
prisoner against the capacity of 204 while Sub Jail Fazilka has 64 male
prisoners against the sanctioned capacity of 48.Chadha stated that number of
female inmates also exceeds 84% than the sanctioned capacity. While revealing
the information they said that Central Jail Jalandhar (Kapurthala) has a
capacity of 120 female prisoners whereas 161 female prisoners are lodged
therein, the percentage of which comes to 34% more. Central Jail Hoshiarpur has
a capacity of 45 female inmates against which it houses 51 female prisoners,
13% more than the limit. 98 female inmates are lodged in Central Jail Sangrur
against the sanctioned capacity of 32 inmates which is 45% more than the
sanctioned capacity. Similarly Central Jail Roopnagar has the capacity of 25
female inmates but it has 46 inmates which is 84% more than its limit.
Chadha said that due to over-crowded prisons the
inmates are constrained to live in inhuman conditions because it is not
possible to maintain proper hygiene, good food and health facilities in
over-populated jails.They said that as per the information received under RTI
Act government does not have any concrete policy for rehabilitating the
prisoners. Information received from Central Jail, Ludhiana reveals that there
is no programme for reorientation of the criminals.Likewise other jails have
also reported that there is no programme for the prisoners. However, Central
Jail Patiala reported that it runs a yoga training programme where only one
inmate gives yoga training to 525 inmates whereas this jail has total 1801
prisoners. No other jail has reported any counselling or religious education
programme for the prisoners. Chadha said that from the above information it is
amply clear that neither Punjab government is serious about transforming the
lives of prisoners nor it has any policy for reforming the prisoners to lead a
normal life after the completion of punishment.They appealed the Government to
ponder seriously over the issue of rehabilitation of prisoners as crime cannot
be controlled by keeping the criminals in inhuman and harsh conditions.