HYDERABAD: With the recent attack on prison staff by hardcore criminals and fundamentalists following a crackdown on inmates using cellphones in the Cherlapally jail, the Home department is dusting off some old proposals that could show a way out of the problem.
The home department has decided to consider the proposals afresh.
Apart from initiating action against the personnel who facilitate smuggling of cellphones and SIM cards into the jail, the proposals allow prisoners access to landline phones inside the prisons.
The proposals were discussed during a review meeting chaired by Home Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy at the Secretariat today. While checking mobile phone usage, the move will provide an opportunity to the prisoners with good conduct to access landline phones for a limited number of minutes every week.
However, the facility will not be available for those arrested in terror-related cases and other serious offences.
Meanwhile, based on preliminary reports, it has been decided to initiate action against the prison employees who supplied cellphones and SIM cards to the prisoners inside all the jails in the state. It has also been proposed to instal jammers inside all the prisons. The Home Minister asked the officials to verify whether this would cause inconvenience to the residents in the neighbourhood and asked them to look for alternative measures to restrict usage of cellphones inside prisons. It has been decided to replace black and white CCTV cameras with colour sets for better picture quality.
In view of disturbed behaviour of a few prisoners, it has been proposed to engage the services of psychiatrists and counsellors. A report had been submitted to the government for approval in this regard, the home minister said.
Prison reform
Prisoners to be allowed to use landline phones for a limited number of hours every week Those arrested in terrorrelated cases and other serious offences not to enjoy the facility Cellphone jammers likely to be installed on jail premises Serious action against jail staffers smuggling in cellphones for prisoners Colour sets to replace black&white CCTV cameras for better picuture quality