Tihar Jail takes preventive measures
New Delhi: The fight against Coronavirus rages on inside Tihar Jail as prisoners and staff alike are taking all precautionary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
According to jail authorities, Tihar inmates have made more than 10,000 masks and over 1,500 hand sanitisers and are also being provided with all the necessary items to ensure a sanitised and hygienic environment for all inside the prisons.
Amid the Corona outbreak, Tihar Jail has stopped mulaqat (meeting) with family for prisoners from March 19 to March 31. Inmates are being regularly briefed about precautions to be taken for their safety. "We have told them not to panic and ensure cleanness. They were told that the reason behind stoping family mulaqat was to ensure that no person comes from outside for meeting and create a scope for virus transmission," a Tihar official said, adding that they have been given the facility of phone calls to their relatives. The phone which is for inmates is regularly cleaned.
According to Delhi government, Delhi prisons has three prison complexes, the one at Tihar being one of the largest prison complex in the world comprising of nine central prisons and the second is Central Prison at Rohini Prison Complex and the third one is Mandoli Prison Complex having 6 central Jails. The total population in sixteen prisons is around 15,468 prisoners against the sanctioned capacity of 10,026 prisoners. There was a steady increase in the number of prisoner's over the last few years.
Sandeep Goel, Director-General of Tihar jail said: "Isolation ward has been earmarked in each jail for any inmate showing flu-like symptoms. New inmates have to go through medical screening and they are being kept in separate barracks for at least three days."
When asked about social distancing, the official said that they are taking necessary steps but prisons are overcrowded. "After preparation of quarantine and isolation wards some problem increased but they are trying. We are also waiting for directions from the government and court and then they will decide on the social distancing issue," he said.
Thermal scanners are also being used to screen those entering the jail premises. Tihar Jail AIG Rajkumar said that there are over 20,000 people in prisons including inmates and over 400 foreign prisoners. "So far we have not found COVID-19 symptoms. We have also informed staff to maintain proper hygiene," he said, adding that the prison cells and offices inside the premises were thoroughly cleaned. According to Kumar, prisoners have produced over 10,000 masks and 1,500 sanitisers. "We have distributed masks, sanitisers among prisoners, staff," he said.
