The average occupancy rate in jails of Chhattisgarh is 253 per cent which is more than twice the national average of 112 per cent. Out of these, only 26 per cent are convicts while the remaining inmates are the under trials, said leader of Opposition TS Singhdeo in the Chhattisgarh Assembly on Thursday.
Raising the issue through Call Attention Motion, Singhdeo said that due to overcrowding in the jails, the inmates are not only deprived of basic facilities but are also facing the risk of infectious diseases. Overcrowding, inadequate jail staff and resources have resulted in incidents of jailbreaks and deaths of inmates. Corruption is also rampant in jails, he said.
He said that the situation is worse in jails of insurgency-hit regions like Dantewada, Kanker and Jagdalpur. In Dantewada and Kanker, the percentage of conviction of the jail inmates is only 3 per cent while as it is 38 per cent in Jagdalpur. This proves that undertrials are held in jails for longer period and in many cases after serving for more than five years. The undertrials are awarded sentence of only one year. They are kept in jails for much longer period and this has led to resentment among people of the restive area, Singdeo said.
In his reply, Home Minister Ramsewak Paikra refuted the claims of Singhdeo and said that the present capacity of five central, 10 district and 15 subjails of the State is 6,482 and additional barracks are being constructed to enhance the capacity of jails.
He said that legal help is provided to the inmates. The Minister also refuted the charges that persons have been kept in jails without any crime. Paikra also refuted the allegations of corruption in jails and said that regular inspection of jails is carried out. Apart from basic infrastructure and security arrangements, various rehabilitation and correctional schemes are being provided in jails.