Maharashtra: Prison dept’s advisory for jails amid coronavirus scare

The staff has also been directed to keep a close watch on COVID 2019 symptoms shown by new entrants as well as those who return from court. (Representational Photo)

THE STATE prison department has issued an advisory to all prisons to take precautions in the wake of the spread of COVID 2019.

The advisory circulated to all jail superintendents on Wednesday directs authorities to put up printouts of “dos and don’ts” inside jails. Those in charge of the barracks and prison officers have been directed to keep a watch on inmates who show any symptom. Such inmates would have to be kept in isolation until medical authorities are informed.

“All superintendents have been instructed to be in touch with civil surgeons and the district collectorate. Advice of surgeons can be taken as a medical specialist and the collector or municipal commissioner can be consulted for administrative matters,” Sunil Ramanand, additional director general (Prisons), said. He added that the authorities have been directed to contact medical helplines set up across districts.

While convicts are only permitted to come out of jail on parole or furlough, undertrials, who form a majority of the prison population, usually are brought at least once every two weeks for hearings in courts, where they can come in touch with other people.

The staff have also been directed to keep a close watch on COVID 2019 symptoms shown by new entrants as well as those who return from court. Further, prison authorities have been directed to coordinate with the officer heading the police personnel unit that is in charge of taking prisoners in and out of prisons for court hearings. “If any police personnel from the unit tests positive for the virus, the authorities will need to coordinate for contact tracing,” an official said.

The advisory has also directed sanitisers and masks for staff on duty in the mulaqat room.

“In one barrack meant 110 people, there are 380 people right now. The prison authorities last week did not allow me to carry a sanitiser and a mask inside,” said an inmate at Arthur Road jail. Officials from the jail said that adequate facility including soap and water is made available in the prison. An official said that a decision will also be taken on writing to court authorities to request production of undertrial prisoners for hearings only through video-conferencing for the time being.