HYDERABAD: Upbeat about ushering in unique programmes which are aimed at reformation of prisoners, the state prisons department will, however, remain on guard to bridge a few existing gaps. This will be in the wake of the Supreme Court constituting a panel comprising a former judge to look at the inhuman conditions prevailing in jails and bring about reforms.
Boards of visitors (BoV), consisting of ex officio and non-official members who would have access to prisons for inspection and assessment of the conditions of prisoners, are yet to be constituted in the state. Though the three central prisons in the state at Cherlapally, Chanchalguda and Warangal have BOVs, the district jails, sub-jails, and special sub-jails are yet to have them.
“We have formed BoVs for the central prisons and will do so for the district and other jails,” said a senior official. It may be noted here that an undertrial prisoner, at a press conference held by the prisons department last year, had revealed that the colonial practice of strip search was being conducted in violation of human rights.
The department is also taking measures to decongest the district jails and bring down the total capacity by half. “The decongestion strategy we adopted has to do with reducing the overall crime rate by bringing about reformation of prisoners. Our flagship programmes like Mahaparivartan and Unnati have won wide acclaim and are producing results,” said A Narasimha, inspector-general (prisons).
The prisons department has also submitted a proposal for closure of five sub-jails in the state as they do not have many prisoners.
Renting of barracks
More than a year after the prison’s department announced that it would be renting out its barracks to jails which are overcrowded, the ambitious plan remains on paper. Director-general of prisons VK Singh had announced in 2017 that convicts of non-serious crimes would be given shelter.
The model was also meant to generate revenue but, after a proposal on it was submitted to the government in January this year, there has been no initiative on it so far. Yet, the department is hopeful that the SC-constituted panel would laud its efforts at bringing about reforms and the idea of renting out prison barracks.