Srinagar, Oct 10: After Advocate Mian Abdul Qayoom, representing Muslim League leader, Masarat Aalam read out a letter from Aalam narrating blues of inmates in Udhampur jail, where he is lodged, the High Court directed the Principal district Judge Udhampur to visit the jail to hear his grievances.   
  A division bench of High Court comprising Chief justice M M Kumar and Justice Hasnain Massodi passed the direction on the Public Interest litigation filed by High Court Bar Association seeking directions for better jail conditions.
  Qayoom while arguing informed the court about the letter and sought permission to read it out. The letter narrated the tribulations which the inmates of Udhampur jail have to undergo ‘due to harsh treatment of the jail authorities’.  
  Observing that some district judges have not filed the reports properly, which reflects they have not visited in person to the jails, the court directed all Principal and District Judges to visit the jails and file fresh reports on the condition of jails. 
 On the issue of visitors interview with the inmates, the court asked the Home department to reconsider the procedure with regard to interview directing it should mapped in light of the Supreme Court view  in the case of Francis Corale versus Union Territory of India.
 The court asked the Home department to file the status report in this regard by November 14.
 The court directed the government to evolve criteria for providing all facilities in other jails like they have been provided at Central Jail Srinagar and Central Jail Jammu.
  The court held that in case jail population is meager, then some method should be evolved to meet the medical emergency of the inmates.
 The court said, “The procedural bottlenecks need to be increased out in cases of medical emergencies like heart attack, stroke or pancreatic pain as the first few hours are of great significance in these ailments and necessary facilities need to be made available to the inmates.”  
 Advocate general, M I Qadri informed the court about various  proposals of the government to do up jail conditions saying the implementation of the proposals would take some time. 
 Qadri told the court that a proposal has been made to the government for creation of posts of doctors in jails and sanction has been sought for allotment of ambulances. He said proposal has also been sent DGP for providing standby-Guard to meet any medical emergency in Jails.
 “The proposal of creation of Jail reserve Force has also been sent to the government and in the meantime directions have been issued to Superintendent jails that a doctor needs to attend any patient in the jail and start treatment before shifting the patient to the hospital” Qadri told the court.
 He informed the court that the issue of ambulances has been taken up with the concerned Chief Medical Officers till the sanction of ambulances proposed is matured.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 10 Oct 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 10 Oct 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 11 Oct 2012 00:00:00 IST