The Supreme Court on Monday took suo motu cognisance of the risk of COVID-19 infection spreading within and from overcrowded prisons across the country.
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Making its pleasure known for the preventive steps taken by the Government of Kerala to isolate and test prisoners in the State, a Bench led by Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde ordered States and Union Territories to respond on the preventive measures in place in prisons against the virus by March 20.
“The Director General of Prisons, Kerala, has set up isolation cells within prisons across Kerala. Those suffering with COVID-19 symptoms such as cold and fever are being moved to these isolation cells. All the new inmates who will be admitted to the prisons in Kerala will be isolated in the isolation cells in the admissions block for six days before permitting their entry into the regular prison cells,” the Supreme Court order said.
Isolation ward in Tihar
The apex court noted that similarly an isolation ward has been set up in the Tihar Jail in Delhi and all the 17,500 inmates were checked for COVID-19.
It was found that none displayed any symptoms relating to COVID-19. The Tihar Jail authorities have also decided that new inmates will be screened and put in different wards for three days, the order said.
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The court observed that social distancing, an effective antidote against the virus spread, is difficult in prisons. There are 1,339 prisons with approximately 4,66,084 inmates. The court said the National Crime Records Bureau shows the occupancy rate of Indian prisons is at 117.6%.
“Contagious viruses such as COVID-19 proliferate in closed spaces such as prisons. Studies establish that prison inmates are highly prone to contagious viruses. The rate of ingress and egress in prisons is very high, especially since persons (accused, convicts, detenues, etc.) are brought to the prisons on a daily basis. Apart from them, several correctional officers and other prison staff enter the prisons regularly, and so do visitors (kith and kin of prisoners) and lawyers... Our prisons can become fertile breeding grounds for incubation of COVID-19,” the order said.
