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Residents fearful after jail in green zone Tarn Taran made quarantine centre
Meant to house new inmates from across state with 51 already lodged there within three days of decision; local Congress MLA threatens sit-in against own govt
Residents of Tarn Taran district, one of the three in the state with no covid-19 case so far, are fearful of the spread of the infection with the state government turning a sub-jail in Patti, 24km from district headquarters, into a quarantine zone for new inmates. The sub-jail is located in a residential area and the decision was taken on Thursday. Fifty-one new inmates are already inside the jail that has a capacity of 205.
A government doctor, not wishing to be named, said, “Three of these new inmates, who were suspected to covid-19 patients during screening, were taken to the Patti civil hospital on Saturday as they had fever. After a few hours, their fever subsided and they were sent back to the jail.”
Advocate Deepak Arora, a resident of Patti city, said, “The creation of a quarantine zone inside the jail has increased the chances of spread of the infection, not only among jail and health staff, but also among citizens.” Another resident Lucky Kumar said such a move could be disastrous, as infection could spread quickly.
Punjab jails minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa had said the preventive step to create a quarantine zone was meant to ensure the disease did not spread in the state’s jails. Barnala sub-jail was also turned into a quarantine zone.
Patti Congress MLA Harminder Singh Gill, however, has threatened to start a sit-in against his own government if the decision was not revoked by Monday evening. “I have requested the jails minister and senior officials to revoke the decision, to no avail. If a single case comes through this new jail, who will be responsible? Such a facility should be shifted to the Kapurthala Open jail,” Gill said.
Patti sub-jail superintendent DSP Vijay Kumar said that they had been taking in the new inmates only after proper screening. “People should not panic, as extra precautions are being taken,” Kumar added.
