Central Jail implements e-prison system

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 17

The authorities have started implementing e-prison system on premises of the Amritsar Central Jail. Under the new scheme, a computerised record of all jail inmates and under trials will be maintained.

A computerised record of relatives coming to meet prisoners will also be maintained in order to curb sneaking in of contraband and other prohibited material inside the high-security jail.

“Now, we do not need to sift through registers to check details of prisoners manually. All their vital data will be available at a click of the button. It will include when he/she came in jail and for what offence, when he/she went out for parole, whether he/she committed any crime during parole or inside jail etc,” said Amritsar Central Jail Superintendent Ashish Kapoor.

He said the court proceedings and action against prisoners would also be entered in records. A systematic approach with the help of E-prison would facilitate effective prison management, besides increasing efficiency of the jail staff, he added.

Similarly, he said the visitor management system would enable functioning of the jail in a better way. The scheme adopted in other jails had led to significant decrease in smuggling attempts, he added.

He said, “The number of visitors at the central jail has dropped after the system was implemented thereby reducing burden on the jail staff.”

Kapoor added that a number of steps had been taken for treatment of ailing prisoners. He said now they do not have to go outside for treatment unless they were suffering from a major ailment. Special emphasis would be laid on the health aspect of jail inmates, he added.

He said, “We took up the matter with the Civil Surgeon and the government medical college authorities. They have deputed specialist doctors, including gynaecologists, skin specialists, AIDS, TB and eyes experts, who will visit jail on a regular basis.”

“The jail authorities in association with Rotary Club provided medication to all the 3,500 prisoners for scabies recently. The treatment cost Rs 1.25 lakh. Rotary Club contributed for the same while funds from welfare account were also used to meet the expenses,” added Kapoor.

He said besides dental chair and visits of dentists had also been arranged in jail regularly.