Director General of Prisons, V K Singh today said that around 150 new inmates in different jails in J&K were in quarantine after their covid sampling.
“We have mandated covid19 sampling and quarantine for the new jail inmates across J&K.
Presently, we have 150 new inmates in such quarantine across the prisons,” said the Director General, Prisons.
He said that 80 percent of these inmates are under-trial, 7 percent are detained under Public Safety Act (PSA) and almost 5 percent are those convicted in different cases.
Singh said that no covid-19 positive case of the jail inmates or of the jail staff has so far been detected across Jammu and Kashmir. “Since the beginning of outbreak of covid-19, there is restriction on jail meetings; instead we have started telephone facilities for the inmates in three jails namely District Jail Jammu, Central Jail Jammu and Central Jail Srinagar.”
He said that they have installed “prison inmate calling system enabling them to speak with the verified two contacts (relatives).”
Meanwhile, the DG Prisons said that in view of the ongoing covid-19, a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) was being given to the jail inmates to keep them mentally and physically healthy.
He said that this project was launched in the prisons across J&K for the inmates facing sleep difficulty, anxiety, depression and mental stress.
“Poor sleep leads to anger, poor judgment and irritation. On the other hand the adequate sleep improves immunity in the body which is most advantageous in covid situation,” the officer said.
For last one year on important occasions like Holy, Republic Day, etc. they have arranged the visit of the J&K Chief Justice, the Chief Secretary and the Army Commander of Northern Command to different jails to enable “corrections in inmates,” he said.
Similarly, various cultural programmes were also being organised and dry canteen facility was provided within the prisons premises.