Clean drinking water first priority, basic right of inmates, HC tells Taloja prison authorities

“Clean drinking water is a priority.  It is their (prisoner) basic right. It has to be separated from other water, which is used for washing, etc. How can you use the same water for drinking? Give them clean drinking water from a different source. There has to be clean drinking water and it ought not be calculated. This (issue) was not required to come to the court. You should have taken steps,” a bench of Justice Revati Mohite-Dere and Justice Gauri Godse told the prison authorities.

The HC was hearing a petition filed by Abhay Kurundkar, former police officer and now an inmate of Taloja Central Prison, who was booked in Ashwini Bidre death case,  seeking adequate water for prisoners. The court had earlier directed the secretary of Raigad District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to verify whether the water supply available to the inmates of Taloja Central Prison, Maharashtra, is adequate and respond during the hearing on June 22.

The petitioner had sought from the court to direct the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), to provide adequate water to Taloja Jail, stating the inmates were only getting 1.5 buckets of water for the entire day.

Earlier, the CIDCO and state authorities had tendered a report stating that about 3 lakh litres more water was required for the inmates. The state government had told the bench that there were two functional wells within the premises of Taloja jail.

While the authorities claimed that the inmates were being given nearly 10 buckets of water on a daily basis, the same was refuted by the petitioner. Thereafter, the bench asked DLSA to visit the prison and verify the claims.

On Thursday, the bench perused a report by Secretary, DLSA, who confirmed that inmates received only 1 to 1.5 buckets of water for all purposes everyday and observed that one of the two wells was completely dry and the other well was 90 per cent dry.  He also noted that water in the storage tank was not much clean and the water used in buckets by prisoners was also unclean. The report also stated that transferring of water from tanks to buckets also led to wastage.

The officer suggested that if the number of sintex water tanks is increased and water is stored in tanks instead of buckets, clean and sufficient water can be given to inmates.

“Report says the requirement is over 40 lakh litres of water. So far 4,41,000 is being provided… Is that adequate? How do you expect them to do everything in that one bucket of water? There has to be cleanliness and hygiene has to be maintained. There has to be a water meter..,” the bench said.

The court also asked the authority for the time frame within which a sewage treatment plant (STP) for other purposes can be installed on the jail premises.

Seeking a response from the authority, the bench posted further hearing after two weeks.