CHANDIGARH: Punjab jails are currently housing a record 38,000 prisoners approximately, the highest in the state’s history. Of these, 44 per cent are undertrials booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, many of them confirmed addicts.
To deal with the problem of drug addiction among inmates, as many experience withdrawal symptoms after being incarcerated, the state government has decided to set up drug de-addiction-cum-rehabilitation centres in ten central jails across the state.
There are 26 prisons across the state which includes 10 central jails, 7 district jails, 5 sub-jails, 2 women’s jails, 1 borstal, and 1 open jail. The prison capacity is 26,556 it can adjust 24,083 men and 2,473 women, while the present occupancy is 38,000.
As of March this year the state government started the `Yudh Nashean De Virudh’ campaign till yesterday in last 140 days the state police has arrested 22,626 alleged accused under NDSP Act.
Thus jails of the state which were generally little over crowded as the figure use to be approximately around 31,000 has now touched an all time high of about 38,000 as 17 per cent of inmates are convicts and 83 per cent are under trials.
After arresting these alleged accused under NDPA Act they are sent to different jails of the state and are facing court cases till they are granted bail, as most of them were arrested for possessing small quantity, said sources.
Sources in the jail department said that each new admission prisoner is screened for addiction and addicted inmates are kept in separate wards, where they are put for OOAT treatment.
"Pertinently, Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) centers have been established in 17 Jails of Punjab. It is estimated that more than one lakh inmates have got treatment in these centers since these were established in the jails. Daily these inmates are tablets of opioid-derivative drug buprenorphine as prescribed by the doctors in these centers,’’ said a senior functionary of the jails department. He added that once an inmate arrives in jail, they either self-disclose their addiction or undergo a clinical test to determine it.
"Due to overcrowding also we try to keep these inmates who are facing NDPS cases separate from others,’’ he said.
He further added, "However, to ensure holistic treatment, reduce relapse and enable societal reintegration the government is in the process to establish Drug De-addiction-cum-Rehab Centers in 10 Central Jails under Yudh Nashean De Virudh campaign, the department is in process of setting up infrastructure as most jails it is being upgraded the barracks are being modified. The construction of de-addiction center is completed at Central Jail Bathinda and is underway at other jails. The required equipment is being procured by the departments.’’
Sources said that subsequently, staff including counselors, medical officer, nursing staff and psychiatrists will be recruited in these centers to treat these inmates. "The treatment of these addicts will be done in two phases, de-addiction will be done in first phase, followed by rehabilitation, that too inside the jails only,’’ said an official.