Birsa Munda Central Jail, Hotwar

Ranchi, Aug. 13: The administration is doing all to make the prisoners’ stay at state jails pleasant.

The state government has proposed to construct 26 additional wards in various jails and eight new prisons. The construction work at three jails — Jamshedpur, Madhupur in Deoghar, Nagarutari in Garhwa and two sub-jails — Ramgarh and Barhi in Hazaribagh are near completion. Additional wards in most jails are also ready. “Once all the work is complete, the 5,100 prisoners would get better facilities,” said Sunil Kumar Burnwal, inspector-general (prison).

At present, prisons have the capacity of housing only 11,186 inmates but 17,166 inmates are accommodated.

The new district jail in Jamshedpur with a capacity of housing 1,447 inmates is ready and would open in a few weeks. The prison in Nagarutari, with the capacity to house 300 persons, would be opened soon, too, and will ease the burden on Garhwa jail that has 386 prisoners against the capacity of 148. The prisoners of Hazaribagh Central Jail, however, would be most relieved once the proposed new sub-jails at Barhi and Ramgarh come up. At present, this jail has 2,925 prisoners against the capacity of 1,330.

The state has also proposed to construct a sub-jail at Bundu with a 300-capacity to meet future burden on Birsa Munda Central Jail, Hotwar. This jail, however, has no over-burden at present.

The lack of permanent doctors in various prisons, however, is still a worry for the prison department.

At present, it only has 14 doctors as against the sanctioned posts of 43 and has therefore worked out an arrangement with the Indian Medical Association.

Besides have separate jails for women, the prison department has also started a computer literacy programme at Birsa Munda Central Jail, Hotwar.