Most jails overcrowded in state, says RTI plea
Lucknow Jails in various districts of the state are plagued with the
problem of overcrowding with a total prison population of 83,805
against the authorised capacity of 44,439, an RTI plea has revealed.
Urvashi Sharma, an activist, filed the RTI plea following the National
Human Rights Commission's recent report observing that overcrowding in
jail was a result of "unnecessary and unjustified arrests" coupled
with slow judicial process.
Admitting that the overall overcrowding ratio is 1.89, the information
released by the department of Jail Administration and Reform Services
indicates that in majority of the jails the occupancy is almost double
the sanctioned strength.
According to the status as on December 31, 2009, the worst scenario is
at the Moradabad district jail where around 2,274 prisoners are housed
against the sanctioned strength of only 605. At the time when the
records were released, Moradabad jail housed around 2,080 undertrials
and 194 convicts.
Similar was the plight at Shahjahanpur district jail where 1,791
prisoners were kept against a capacity of 511.
Of the 53 district jails in the state, majority had double the
sanctioned inmates. But the only exception was Mau district jail where
only 485 criminals have been housed as against the capacity of 540.
Interestingly, the Etah district jail, which received the coveted ISO:
9001 (2000) certification last year, has around 1,339 inmates as
against the capacity of 607 prisoners.
In the central jails, which are supposed to admit lifers and prisoners
who are serving long sentences, the occupancy ratio was no better. In
the five central jails of the state as many as 13,298 criminals were
lodged against the capacity of 7,037. While Naini, Varanasi, Fatehgarh
and Agra Central jail records showed almost double the occupancy,
Bareily Central Jail had more than two criminals lodged against one.
The picture at special jails is far better than that of Central or
district jails. In Model Jail, only 371 prisoners were housed against
a capacity of 600 while in Nari Bandi Niketan, 143 women convicts were
lodged as against the sanctioned strength of 420. Overall, 2,759 women
were shown to be lodged in different jails.
At Kishore Sadan, Bareily, the only jail in Uttar Pradesh for children
with a capacity of 188, only six children were housed as on December
31, 2009.
In the other jails, however, 96 children were shown to be living with
women who were convicted. Also, as many as 182 foreigners were also
shown to be lodged in different jails of the state.
The reply under the RTI failed to answer another important question
raised in the plea concerning the details of convicts serving jail
terms despite completing their sentences decreed by court.
In a reply filed by K B Joshi, Research Officer, department of Jail
Administration and Reform Services, the department asked for more time
on the pretext of collecting the relevant data.
"I have filed the first appeal requesting to provide the data as early
as possible," said Urvashi Sharma.
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http://www.mynews.in/News/inhumane_and_insensitive_behavior_of_up_jail_authorities_make_jails_hell_for_inmates__N109973.html
Inhumane & insensitive behavior of UP jail authorities make jails hell
for inmates
Convicts serving jail terms despite completing their sentences
decreed by court in U.P. , Jail authorities admit no action to
scrutinized the status of the prisoners in last five years.
RTI filed by Member of Lucknow based Social organization "
YAISHWARYAJ " revealed that the overcrowding in jails is the result
of "unnecessary and unjustified arrests" coupled with slow judicial
process. The RTI petition dated 04-10-09 was sent to Home Department
of Uttar Pradesh Government. RTI reply by the department of Jail
Administration and Reform Services revealed that Uttar Pradesh Jails
are overcrowded with a total prison population of 83,805 against the
authorized capacity of 44,439 means a overcrowding ratio of 1.89 .
The information released also indicated that in majority of the jails
the occupancy was almost double the sanctioned strength.
On one of the other points Rajendra Prasad , The PIO of Jail
Administration and Reform Services sent information annexing a letter
of M.L. Prakash , ADG Jail Administration and Reform Services which
shows the inhumane and insensitive approach of the concerned
authorities towards the jail-inmates .
Letter of M.L. Prakash , ADG Jail Administration and Reform Services
has one letter of A.K.Panda ,Police D.I.G. ( Jails ) – Meerut Zone as
a annexure which states that two convicts were serving jail terms
despite completing their sentences decreed by court .
" This is highly inhumane & insensitive behavior of jail authorities
of U. P. and gross violation of Human Rights by U. P. Jail
authorities with the state being a mute spectator. We are writing to
National Human Rights Commission to take action against the
defaulters officials " said Usha , one of the members .
This is even more painful that RTI reply of M.L.Prakash ADG Jail
Administration and Reforms states " NIL INFORMATION " against the
required info that reads "Certified copies containing details of
actions taken by state government in last five years to scrutinized
the status of all the prisoners jailed in all the jails of Uttar
Pradesh , "
" This is a shameful paradox where the department meant to bring
reforms in jails has done NOTHING even to scrutinized the status of
all the prisoners , not to say of any other reforms , in last full
five years so our group " YAISHWARYAJ " shall send memorandum to CM
and Governor of Uttar Pradesh to take action and ensure that at least
the department should prove some worth of its name or the Government
should delete the words " administration and reforms " from this
department's name " said Ram Prakash .
--
Urvashi Sharma
RTI Helpmail( Web Based )
aishwaryaj2010@gmail.com
Mobile Rti Helpline
8081898081 ( 8 A.M. to 10 P.M. )
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