The Madurai Principal District Judge K. Baskaran, who inspected the Central Prison here as per directions of the Madras High Court Bench, has recommended that television sets could be provided in each cell in all blocks of prison as inmates were finding it difficult to kill time without any avenues for entertainment.
He made the recommendation in a report submitted before the Bench on Monday. After perusing it, Justices P. Jyothimani and M.M. Sundresh adjourned a Public Interest Litigation petition alleging inhuman living conditions in the prison to September 12. Special Government Pleader K. Mahendran and petitioner's counsel R. Alagumani were asked to submit their views about the report during the next hearing.
In the report, Mr. Baskaran said that he visited the Central Prison on August 25. There were totally 14 blocks in the complex.
Of them, nine blocks were used for accommodating convicts and three for remand prisoners. The rest were titled ‘A' and ‘B.' One cell had been earmarked for the aged in the each of the blocks meant for convicts and remand prisoners.
The authorised accommodation of the prison was 1,252 prisoners. But there were 1,423 prisoners, the PDJ said and gave the break up as convicts- 696, remand prisoners- 677, those detained under Goondas Act- 33, those detained under COFEPOSA (Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities) Act-02, Essential Commodities Act- 11 and National Security Act- 04.
“Except the toilets and bathrooms, all other places in the prison have been kept in a neat and tidy condition and particularly the kitchen and store room are kept in a hygienic condition. The toilets, particularly those in the remand prisoners' blocks, alone are in a bad condition. Some of the closets in those toilets are in a damaged condition,” the report read.
Pointing out that there was water stagnation in the closets, the PDJ said that on enquiry, he was told by the Superintendent of the Central Prison that a proposal had been sent to the Government for reconstructing the entire sewage system in the prison. He stressed the need to take measures to resolve the problem of water scarcity in the prison.
“Lest the prisoners could not have regular bathing, washing and even answer nature's call,” he added. Confirming the PIL petitioner's contention that the prisoners were cleaning the toilets, the PDJ said it was not due to any compulsion but due to gross inadequacy of scavengers. There were two scavengers for the entire prison complex.
He said the remand prisoners were not provided with electricity supply between 6 am and 6pm in the guise of austerity measures though such facility was provided round the clock to convicts. “Why the austerity measure should be confined to remand prisoners' blocks could not be explained by the Superintendent who assured to supply power uniformly to everyone from August 26,” he said.
Mr. Baskaran confirmed the petitioner's allegation that the inmates were provided dinner by 4.30 p.m. itself. “The Superintendent would state that they have been doing it as per the Prison Manual and unless the Prison Manual is suitably amended, the request cannot be implemented. The High Court may be pleased to issue suitable directions in this regard,” he said in the report.
The PDJ said that the remand prisoners were allowed to come out of their cells for three hours in a day that too to have their food. Such restriction had been imposed apprehending group clashes between them. However, “I have suggested to the Superintendent to allow the remand prisoners to go out of their cells freely… the Superintendent has agreed to experiment this.”
The report stated that two empanelled advocates of the District Legal Services Authority were visiting the Central Prison twice a week for redressing the grievances of the inmates. Further, Prison Adalats were held inside the prison complex on every Friday for disposing of cases, involving petty offences, wherein the prisoners were willing to plead guilty.
