From Deep Metal Detectors To Body Cams, Odisha Jails Ready For Facelift

Gangsters/criminals running syndicates from the confines of prison cells is a well-established fact. However, such situation could soon witness a perceptible change in Odisha where the security set up in jails is expected to undergo a major recalibration with the installation of some high-end surveillance equipment.

As per official sources, deep search metal detectors are going to be procured for all circle jails, district jails and other sensitive prisons in the State in the first phase of the security beefing up scheme.

The procurement and installation of metal detectors will come handy to detect concealed mobile phones, chargers, SIM cards and other articles which are widely used by the inmates to communicate with the outside world.

The Odisha government has approved the 2020-21 action plan for the modernisation of prisons in the State. All the dysfunctional CCTV surveillance systems will either be replaced or upgraded in selective jails.

Apart from metal detectors, the State government, based on the recommendations of DG and IG Conferences, has approved a pilot project for the use of body cams.

Around 20 body cams will be procured and used by staff at the Choudwar and Bhubaneswar jails. The body-worn cameras would be helpful to secretly monitor the activities of hard-core criminals lodged inside the jails. Such facility will be extended to other jails in the State in subsequent phases.

Under the State sector scheme of programme expenditure, the State government had earlier approved capacity building of various jails to address the issue of over-crowding.

As per sources, additional capacity of 2209 inmates has been created in 2021-22. As per the approved action plan, the State government has sanctioned oil processing units for 22 jails to generate revenue for convicts as well as for providing unadulterated edible oil through sale counters of jails.

The government has also approved procurement of power tillers for 15 jails. For the healthcare of inmates, ECG machines will be procured and new hospitals will be constructed at few jails including Bhubaneswar (20 beds) and 10 bed facilities at Padmapur, Jagatsinghpur, Sorada and G.Udaygiri jails in 2021-22.