MADURAI
Amidst COVID-19 scare, jail authorities have restricted visitors to all central prisons, district jails and sub-jails in southern districts. Besides, all jail staff and remand prisoners are being allowed into the prisons only after a health check-up and hands-and-feet washing.
Deputy Inspector General (Prisons) D. Pazhani said efforts were on to fix water taps at entry points of all prisons so that all visitors, including jail staff, could wash their hands and feet with soap. Thermal scanner would soon be installed in jails.
Madurai Range has got two central prisons (Madurai and Palayamkottai), a Special Women Prison in Madurai, six district jails and 30 sub-jails, where around 4,000 remand prisoners and convicts had been lodged.
“Regular interviews for remand prisoners and convicts that were allowed on five days a week have been suspended till further orders. Similarly, special interviews for convicts with good conduct with their family members on Sundays have also been suspended,” the DIG said.
Stating that only advocates would be allowed for interviews, that too during emergencies like meeting fast-approaching deadlines for court hearings and deaths reported in the families of convicts. “Even then, they would have to undergo a medical check-up. They should not have cough, cold and fever,” he added.
The interviewers would not be allowed to go closer to the prisoners and a minimum distance of six feet would be maintained.
Similar safety measures were also being adopted for the jail staff. They had been provided with masks and asked to wash their hands frequently, he said.
The prisoners being taken to courts and hospitals and new prisoners coming to jails would also undergo a medical check-up. “If they have any symptoms like fever, cough or cold, they would be referred to government hospitals,” Mr. Pazhani said.
On an average, 30 new prisoners came to Madurai Central Prison and 10 to the Palayamkottai prison every day, he said.
Efforts were being taken to extend remand for prisoners through video-conferencing to avoid outside contact. Prisoners had been asked to wash their hands properly before eating. Group activities like yoga and meditation had been suspended to avoid crowding in particular areas of the prisons, he added.
