MADURAI: The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Friday directed the chairman of Tirunelveli district legal services authority to conduct surprise visits at the Palayamkottai Central Prison, following allegations regarding the quality of food served to inmates. A bench of Justices P Velmurugan and M Jothiraman told the chairman to visit the prison on three different days (separate days for breakfast, lunch and dinner), to verify the allegations and file a report in three weeks.
The directions were issued on a petition filed by R Mohammed Tarik, seeking direction to provide proper food and medical attention to his cousin, S Al Asik, who was in the aforesaid prison due to the five-year jail sentence imposed on him by a Dindigul court in a Pocso case in May.
Tarik claimed that the prison food was either uncooked or overcooked and the tea served to inmates was watery without sugar. He also alleged that stones were found in green leafy vegetables and blamed everything on 'untrained cooks' appointed by the authorities. Even though the government changed the diet prescribed for prisoners by a G.O. dated June 2, 2023, the aforesaid prison authorities were not following the same, Tarik added. Asik fell sick after consuming such foods, but was not provided proper medical treatment due to non-availability of medical officers, he further alleged.
According to All India Committee on Prison Reforms Recommendation no. 130, rent-free quarters should be given to the medical officers deputed to prison. Though the said recommendation was accepted by the state government, no medical officer is residing in Palayamkottai prison, where medical officers are available only between 10.30 am and 1 pm, Tarik said. Doctors have to be assisted by prisoners since there are no nurses, he added.