E-Paper
35 lakh for drug de-addiction medicines in jails
The Punjab government on Friday informed the Punjab and Haryana high court that 35 lakh had been sanctioned for the purchase of medicines for drug de-addiction centers at eight central jails of the state.
The Punjab government on Friday informed the Punjab and Haryana high court that 35 lakh had been sanctioned for the purchase of medicines for drug de-addiction centers at eight central jails of the state.
The information was provided to a division bench headed by chief justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul during the hearing of two public interest litigations (PILs).
Petitioners Tarlochan Singh and Shashi Sharma have sought permanent remedy of the drug menace in the jails of Punjab.
The court, meanwhile, was also informed that 12 lakh for the construction of rooms for medical laboratories in six jails of the state had also been released.
The Punjab gover nment, however, urged the court that jail superintendent is the overall in charge of a jail, and thus, it would not be appropriate to hold him responsible for each and every act without holding an inquiry.
The government made it clear to the court that since the central government rejected the proposal seeking deployment of paramilitary forces for outer security of the jails, the state government had decided to raise an Indian Reserve Battlion for the purpose.
Earlier the state government had informed the court that as many as 10 jail officials were dismissed, another 10 were chargesheeted, while departmental inquiry was proceeding against eight jail officials, who were caught in the alleged drug racket in various jails.
