Chandigarh: Prisoners returning to jail after parole and bail to be sent to quarantine centre, only those fit to be allowed to enter jail

To deal with the Covid Crisis in the Model Burail Jail of Chandigarh, a special committee comprising SLSA Executive Chairman, Justice Jaswant Singh and IG Prisons Chandigarh Ombir Singh, and Principal Secretary Home, Arun Kumar Gupta, has issued directions to the DLSA (District Legal Service Authority) and the Chandigarh Jail.

Ashok Kumar Mann, CJM cum Secretary DLSA, said that during admission at the jail if the prisoner has any symptom of fever, cough and cold or a prisoner comes from a red zone/ containment area, they will be sent to GMSH-16, Chandigarh, for Covid-19 test. Meanwhile, every staff member coming outside the jail is scanned at Gate number 1 with infrared thermometer by the sentry of duty.

Mann said that 12 cells ward has been earmarked for admission of new prisoners, and they will be in quarantine in the ward for 14 days, inmates visiting the hospital will also be quarantined for 14 days.

Moreover, Senior Medical Officer and Medical Officers of Model Jail, Chandigarh, have been directed to take prevention steps and lecture inmates at each barrack regarding maintenance of hygiene and social distancing. The jail premises and staff quarters are also being disinfectant everyday with sodium hypochlorite, while the isolation ward is being disinfected twice a day, added the DLSA Secretary.

“If any case of Covid-19 positive is found inside the jail, we will shift the said inmate to a government hospital for proper treatment, quarantine facilities and testing. That prisoner will be admitted at the jail only after being discharged from the designated Covid ward,” said Mann.

24 students at Juvenile Home pass class X and XII

The Superintendent, Juvenile Home, has informed the Juvenile Justice Monitoring Committee Chairman, Justice Jaswant Singh, that seven students had appeared for their class 12 board exams through National Institute of Open Schooling and all the seven students have passed. Out of the seven students, five secured first division and two students secured 57.42 per cent and 57.33 per cent, respectively.

The superintendent further informed that 17 students had appeared for their class 10 exams through the National Institute for Open Schooling (NIOS) and all of them have passed. Out of the 17, as many as 11 students obtained first division and six students obtained second division.