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Nearly half of inmates in Punjab jails drug addicts, govt tells HC
A total of 35,449 inmates are lodged in these prisons, of whom 15,678 are registered with OOAT clinics as on August 21
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A report submitted by the Punjab government’s prisons department to the high court has revealed that an alarming 45% of inmates in the state’s jails are drug addicts.
The affidavit, submitted by additional director general of police (prisons), Rajesh Kumar, also said that the majority of the addicts are in the 18-45 age group.
The government response came following a suo motu plea initiated by the high court in July, after a June 23 report from the administrative judge, Mansa, said a large number of jail inmates, being drug addicts, are being administered Buprenorphine (2 mg) in combination with Naloxone (0.5 mg).
“…out of a total 767 jail inmates, as many as 530 inmates are registered with the Out-Patient Opioid Assisted Treatment Clinic (OOAT Clinic) established within the jail premises. Thus, approximately 69% of the total inmate population is undergoing treatment at the OOAT Clinic, indicating a significant prevalence of drug addiction among the inmates,” the report had said.
Following this, the high court took suo motu cognisance on August 20 and sought an affidavit from Punjab ADGP (prisons) seeking details of the total number of inmates in each jail and the number of inmates presently registered with OOAT clinics. The court had also sought the age profiles of such inmates and the standard operating procedures (SOPs) governing the registration of such inmates and how the objective of rehabilitating these jail inmates and tapering them off from the drugs is proposed to be achieved.
The affidavit said that there are a total of 25 jail facilities — district jails and central jails — in the state. A total of 35,449 inmates are lodged in these prisons, of whom 15,678 are registered with OOAT clinics as on August 21.
The affidavit revealed that Kapurthala has the highest number of OOAT clinic-registered prisoners with 2,635 out of 4,196, followed by Amritsar with 2,124 out of 4,918. Faridkot has 1,441 registered prisoners out of 2,840, while 1,071 out of 1,522 are registered in Gurdaspur and 1,064 out of 1,978 are registered in Bathinda Central Jail.
It further revealed that there is no one registered with an OOAT clinic who is below the age of 18.
However, 2,951 are between 18-25 years, 5,656 between 26-35 years, 4,544 between 36-45 years, 1,977 between 46-55 years and 677 are above 55 years.
According to the prison department, the OOAT programme is being implemented in coordination with the health and family welfare department, and treatment is provided under the supervision of qualified medical personnel. An SOP is in place for the registration of inmates with OOAT clinics, devised by the health department. The programme was started to control heroin use, which was rampant in the state in 2017.
“In the past, so many other medicines were tried as maintenance therapies or as harm reduction therapies, but Buprenorphine+Naloxone (BPNx) was found to be one of the safest medicines to use. The Buprenorphine in this compound takes care of withdrawal symptoms and craving. Also, it prevents the action of other opioids like heroin and prevents overdose cases as well as overdose deaths. The addition of Naloxone in this compound prevents the action of Buprenorphine if injected,” the affidavit detailed.
The 2,540 inmates were those who had been taking these drugs prior to their registration in jail. In respect of the remaining inmates, the available record does not permit a definite conclusion; the government has said.
The department has further informed the court that under the national action plan for drug demand reduction (NAPDDR) scheme of the ministry of social justice and empowerment, de-addiction centres have been established in eight central jails. These facilities provide institutional support for the treatment, rehabilitation and de-addiction of inmates suffering from substance dependence, the government said.
GFX
Headline Treatment behind bars
Number of prisoners Registered with OOAT clinic
Kapurthala Central Jail 4,196; 2,635
Amritsar Central Jail 4,918; 2,124
Faridkot Central Jail 2,840; 1,441
Gurdaspur Central Jail 1,522; 1,071
Bathinda Central Jail 1,978; 1,064
