The high court on Wednesday directed the Himachal Pradesh government to file a fresh status report in the matter related to inhumane conditions in the state’s jails.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice L Narayana Swamy and Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua passed these orders on a petition taken up suo moto by the court as public interest litigation on the directions issued by the Supreme Court in a matter related to inhumane conditions in 1,382 prisons.
In compliance to the HC’s earlier order, the state had filed a status report, in which it was pointed out that there is overcrowding and shortage of staff in Hamirpur district jail, Nurpur sub-jail and Kullu district jail and shortage of staff in district and open air jails in Dharamshala and Bilaspur, besides no medical officer in Mandi district jail.
The court observed that for the entire state, only four posts have been sanctioned for medical officers, who are posted in open air jails in Bilaspur and Dharamshala, Model Central Jail, Kanda (Shimla district), and Model Central Jail in Nahan (Sirmaur district). Most of the jails were taking medical facilities from the staff of primary health centres and the sanctioned strength of four medical officers was not sufficient to meet the needs of jail inmates, the HC held.
The court further observed that in such circumstances, it is expected that the state government shall take immediate steps to appoint more medical officers and provide more ambulances and light vehicles as per the requirement of these jails.
{{/usCountry}}The court further observed that in such circumstances, it is expected that the state government shall take immediate steps to appoint more medical officers and provide more ambulances and light vehicles as per the requirement of these jails.
{{/usCountry}}The court also noticed that nothing had been mentioned in the status report with respect to counsellors and thus directed the latter to file a fresh status report in the matter.
The court has posted the matter for April 24.