Tamil Nadu   

Women's prisons have facilities as per law: State

A. Subramani

Advocate Commissioner reiterates her findings in reply affidavit

CHENNAI: The State Government informed the Madras High Court on Thursday that women's prisons, particularly special prisons for women, in Tamil Nadu had accommodation, food and medical facilities in accordance with the law.

In the counter-affidavits, filed in response to a report filed by the court-appointed advocate commissioner highlighting several shortcomings in prisons, the authorities said inmates of the special prisons had access to games, television, newspaper and other recreational facilities.

They said grocery items and vegetables were procured through the open tender system. Officials ensured that the materials were of specified quality.

Advocate Sudha Ramalingam, assigned by the First Bench comprising Chief Justice A.P. Shah and Justice K. Chandru to visit the prisons and file a report, submitted a reply affidavit reiterating her findings. She said the counter merely explained provisions of the Prison Manual. She had interacted with several inmates, who explained the pitiable state of affairs in jails.

The Bench posted the matter to January 8 for further proceedings.

Recommendations

In her report, Ms. Ramalingam said women arrested on bootlegging charges were victims and not offenders, and recommended that their detention under the Goondas Act be curtailed. These women could never be a menace to society. "These women are not the initiators or profit-earners, but belong to the lowest rung in the crime chain of bootlegging."

She called for appointment of more doctors and paramedical staff in Tamil Nadu Prison Services. Installation of scanning machines in jails, provision for counselling, more nutritional food and establishing craft centres in jails are some of her other recommendations.

Noting that the quality of rice, provisions and vegetables used for cooking were very poor, she said, "As it is a basic requirement, jail authorities must ensure that better quality products are procured and cooked." To enhance the nutritional value of food fruits should be made part of the diet.

`Improve water supply'

The prison administration must improve water supply by sinking more borewells and ensure that protected drinking water was available to all inmates. Old and ailing convicts aged above 60 may be shown clemency and released on probation, the report said. Scanning equipment could be used to check prisoners. "They should not be stripped naked as is alleged to be done during admission."

Every prisoner should be given a kit containing two sets of dresses, towel, bed sheets, pillow, sanitary napkins, toilet soap, detergent soap and hair oil at the time of admission.

Reiterating the need to have trained secondary grade and technical teachers in jail service, the report said many inmates were also interested in learning computers, auto driving and typing.

It called for adequate creche and other child care measures and wanted an ambulance facility, or at least an auto rickshaw, to be made available in prisons to shift inmates to hospitals.

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