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Bhubaneswar: Reviewing the current COVID situation in jails and preparations for combating infections, the Director General of Prisons and Directorate of Correctional Services (DCS), Odisha have decided to take a slew of measures including appointment of a nodal officer for all prisons.
The review meeting that was held through video conferencing on Monday was organised by the DG of Prisons & DCS, Odisha with all senior officers of Prisons Directorate and all Jail Superintendents and Range DIOs for combating COVID infections in jails.
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The medical officer of Circle Jail, Cuttack at Choudwar was appointed as Nodal Officer to guide other jail superintendents and medical officers of all jails in the meeting for preventive treatment as well as treatment of COVID-19 infected inmates.
A press release issued by the department stated, “As all jails do not have medical officers, Jail Superintendents were advised to take full assistance of local SDMOs, CDMOs, Sub-collectors, Municipal Commissioners towards testing of inmates and subsequent treatment of COVID positive prisoners at COVID care centre as per the protocol issued by Health Department.”
Critically ill patients were advised to be sent to COVID hospitals with medical support and in police escort.
“It is found that after decongestion drive, population of 87 jails in the State has come down to 19707 as on May 15, 21 from 20482 as on May 1, 2021,” read the release.
The release further stated that the Prisons Directorate has already ordered 449 convicts for 90 days parole, in compliance to instruction of the Apex Court. State Legal Services Authority had been requested to consider further decongestion of jails by grant of parole to similarly placed convicts as well as for consideration of prisoners above 60 years of age and inmates with comorbidities. “We are in the process of releasing all eligible convicts for granting special parole, excluding the previous order of releasing 449 convicts,” the press release stated.
Further, all jail superintendents were instructed by the DG of Prisons to sanitise the jail campus on regular basis. Nodal officer of COVID enforcement in jails asked all superintendents to ensure that prisoners and staff wear double masks, maintain social distancing and follow COVID appropriate behaviour.
