After receiving flak from several quarters for giving preferential treatment to some influential jail inmates, Punjab government on Friday decided to limit the number of visitors visiting the jails.
Punjab Jail Minister Sarwan Singh Phillaur directed the officers of the department to expedite the process of introducing the smart card system in all the jails at the earliest. Besides, the identity cards would also be issued to the visitors in order to keep a check on the number of visitors. Phillaur has also asked the jail authorities to sternly stick to the visiting hours while allowing the meeting.
The step will help is ensuring security and also checking the number of visitors in the jails. Phillaur, addressing a high-level meeting of the jails officers on Friday, said that the safety of the jail staff would be among the government’s top priorities.
“Jail department would install CCTV cameras, mobile jammers and other security equipment to ensure proper security in the upcoming jails. Modalities are being worked out to ban two-storied construction up to 100-feet from the outer walls of these new jails. With a view to generating a cordial atmosphere between the prisoners and the jail administration, the department would also re-introduce the Nambardar system in all the jails,” said Phillaur.
Regarding quality of food being served in the jails, the Minister said that Jail department would review the diet norms system in consultation with the dieticians of reputed institutions.
A committee comprising IG (Jails), representatives of Central jails and Sub-jails besides a dietician from PGI Chandigarh has also been constituted which would submit its report shortly recommending appropriate healthy food for jail inmates.
He also asked the Superintendents of Jails to work out the modalities to run two kitchens in each central jail with the computerized new system. He further asked the Jail department to introduce Credit Card System for inmates in all eight central jails to buy items from the jail canteens.
Phillaur also said that entire record of prisoner maintained in Punjab jails would be computerized on the patterns of Tihar Jail. Necessary steps are being taken up in this regard. The computerized records would contain finger-print of all prisoners, date of release, remissions, parole, good conduct, among others, said Phillaur.