Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO
With the mercury reaching new lows by the day, inmates of 16 central jails in the city’s Tihar, Rohini, and Mandoli prisons will start getting hot water for bathing and sanitary needs, officials at Raj Niwas said.
The decision was taken by Lieutenant-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena at a recent fortnightly review meeting for prisons, the officials said, adding that prisoners above 65 will be given mattresses to survive the cold, in addition to wooden cots and durri that they get at present.
An official said, “Upon learning that the inmates, many of whom are undertrial prisoners, do not get this basic facility of hot water even in this biting cold and that influential inmates manage to get hot water in the jail at the rate of ₹5,000 per bucket, Mr. Saxena issued instructions to Director General (Prison) and the Principal Secretary (Home) to immediately make hot water available to all inmates.”
“This humane decision, apart from boosting much-needed jail reforms will also help eliminate corruption and patronising on part of jail officials, who often provide such services to inmates at a cost or if they are influential,” he added.
