CAG finds shortage of arms, overcrowding in Haryana jails

Apex auditor CAG has found shortage of arms and ammunition and lack of modern security equipment in Haryana jails, while observing that it was bound to have an adverse impact on the security of prisons.

Besides, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India also found overcrowding of inmates in prisons.

A report on the non-public sector undertakings for 2016-17 was tabled here in the ongoing Haryana budget session in the state Assembly today.

While appraising the security arrangements of eight jails in Ambala, Hisar, Karnal, Rohtak, Gurugram, Narnaul, Sirsa, the CAG found deviations from the procedure relating to the security and surveillance in prisons.

Highlighting the massive shortage of arms and ammunitions in jails as per the Punjab Jail Manual, the auditor found that as against the requirement of 72 pistol or revolver in jails, there were only 21, depicting shortage of 51 arms.

Similarly, there were only 841 rifles or guns in jail as compared to the requirement of 1,368 rifles.

"Every warder shall be provided with military breach loading fire-arms and buckshot ammunition. Further, 40 rounds balls, 50 round blank and 30 rounds of buckshot were required to be allotted to individual officials," as per the report.

As against the requirement of .410 Musket rifle round ball of 12,540, their availability in jails was 5,382. Similarly, there was also shortage of round blank and round buckshot.

"There was shortage of arms and ammunition in jails which is bound to have an adverse impact on the security of jails," report said.

The security of records of jail also revealed that out of 220 existing security equipment like mobile jammers, door frame metal detector, hand held metal detector and search lights, 151 were non-functional and jails were not equipped with modern security equipment like body scanner, night vision binocular and sensor.

As per report, 1,425 prohibited items like mobile phones, chargers, batteries, mobile sims, blades and intoxicants like opium, smack and drug tablets were recovered from prisoners during 2012-2016.

As per the report, security of records also showed that CCTV cameras in test checked jails were been installed.

As per directions of Union Home Affairs Ministry, all the prisons should have CCTV within a period of one year, but not later than two years.

Highlight that high-rise building near the boundary wall of jails could pose security threats, the report said citing an example of a jail in Kurukshetra, marriage palace was constructed adjacent to west side of jail without any permission.

The height of the building of marriage the palace was higher than the boundary and main walls of jail and scene of the jail was visible from the roof of the marriage palace, it said.

On overcrowding of prisoners in jails, the report found the average occupancy percentage of inmates in Narnaul, Hisar and Sirsa remained between 145 and 187.

Audit examination further revealed that there was insufficient space of women inmates in Sirsa, where against the capacity of eight female inmates in a barrack, 36 to 48 inmates were kept during 2013 to 2016.

In Narnaul jail, prisoners suffering from tuberculosis (TB) were kept along with other prisoners posing health hazard, while there were insufficient beds in jail hospitals, lack of medical infrastructure, non-availability of lady doctors for female inmates and non-deployment of psychiatric counsellors, as per the report.

Working of jail factories was not satisfactory as factories were operational only in nine out of 19 jails in the state, it said.

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