The Bombay High Court on Monday slammed the Maharashtra government for the "sorry state of affairs" prevailing in the prisons across the state. The HC has accordingly asked the state to spell out the exact capacity of all the 60 prisons and also ordered the district collectors to identify spaces for quarantining prisoners, who test positive.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice KamalKishor Tated was irked to note that the prison authorities have not been conducting Covid tests on asymptomatic patients. It also noted that at least four prisoners died and later tested positive.
The information was provided in a report submitted by the additional director general (prisons), which stated that the authorities have not been testing asymptomatic inmates as there was no space for quarantining them.
"The report of the reveals a very sorry state of affairs. Four inmates of correctional homes, who were under-trial prisoners, have passed away while being lodged there. Swab samples collected after their death, revealed that the deceased were suffering from Covid-19," CJ Datta observed.
The bench further noted that the number of tests amongst the inmates of the correctional homes across Maharashtra is abysmally low, which requires corrective measures to be adopted by the state.
"Having regard to the facts and figures, we considered it necessary to request the Advocate General for the state, to appear in these matters and to obtain appropriate instructions from the prison authorities, especially with regards to the allegation that there is insufficient space for quarantining those inmates of correctional homes, who test positive," CJ Datta added.
The bench further said the Collectors of various districts should be encouraged to explore and identify space available for quarantining such prisoners.
"We are sure that the AG would also enlighten us, on the number of under-trial prisoners and convicts presently lodged in all the correctional homes across Maharashtra; the number of inmates who are aged in excess of 60 years; diseases, if any, from which such elderly inmates are suffering from; and also the capacity of each correctional home," the judges ordered while adjourning the matter till Friday.
