Delhi HC calls for more washrooms in Tihar jail, renovation of existing ones within four months

The court also directed Delhi government install septic tanks in the jail and jail authorities to provide protective gear to inmates for cleaning washrooms

New Delhi

The orders came after a report by inspecting judges of 16 jails across the Capital flagged pitiable and unsatisfactory conditions of washrooms. (Representative photo/PTI)

The Delhi high court on Thursday directed the Delhi government to consider increasing the number of washrooms in the Tihar jail complex and to renovate toilets in a phased manner within four months.

A bench of acting chief justice Manmohan and justice Tushar Rao Gedela directed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to, forthwith, install septic tanks in the jail and jail authorities to provide protective gear to inmates for cleaning washrooms.

“Public Works Department (PWD) is directed to carry out inspection of all the washrooms within two weeks and in case any renovation is required, proposal to be moved within a period of further two weeks. Renovation work to be carried out in a phased manner to ensure that the toilets are available for use. The entire renovation process may be carried out within four months,” the court said in the order.

The court was responding to a plea filed by Anuj Malhotra, seeking directions to the Delhi government to take action against manual scavenging in Tihar jail and for implementation of the provisions of the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993. The petition, filed by advocate Kunal Madan, also sought for provision of cold and clean drinking water to inmates. The petition stated that inmates were being forced to remove human excreta from toilets and septic tanks with bare hands or brooms and were being made to work without any protective gear. Malhotra’s petition alleged an acute shortage of clean and cold drinking water for inmates.

On July 26, the high court directed the inspecting judges of Tihar jail to file a status report within a week. The report, while denying manual scavenging activities and shortage of cold drinking water, said that inmates were voluntarily carrying out the cleaning work.

Considering the deficiency, the court directed the Delhi government to employ adequate staff for cleaning washrooms in jails and provide at least minimum wage to inmates voluntarily involved in the cleaning work.

The bench also directed the Delhi government to file an action taken report and set the next hearing for October 22.