Mandoli jail inmate tells HC about poor conditions in the prison

New Delhi: One of the inmates of the Mandoli jail, who is out on furlough, on Thursday apprised the Delhi High Court of the issues faced by the prisoners such as non-functional AC vents, improperly installed mosquito nets, and the "hectic" process they go through to meet their family members.

Taking note of the problems mentioned by the inmate, a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar directed the Director General of Prisons to ensure adequate facilities to prisoners to meet their family members and to also look into the other issues. 

Amicus curiae Sumer Kumar Sethi said the quantity of food available to the inmates was "insufficient" and suggested putting up cameras in the kitchen area to ascertain the reason. 

While the court asked the prison authorities to look into this aspect as well, Delhi government standing counsel Rahul Mehra said there was some wastage of food during the cleaning and cooking process. 

The bench, however, said that the quality of food was good in the prison. The court also issued directions to the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) to ensure cleanliness around the jail, saying the surroundings of the prison were "in a terrible state".

"Given the terrible state of the drainage around the Mandoli jail and garbage collected in its immediate vicinity, EDMC is directed to regularly, at least fortnightly, clean it," the bench said. 

On the issue of defacement of the prison's walls, the court issued a general direction to the Delhi Police to create awareness among people against engaging in such activity. It asked police to publicise what all constitutes defacement of public property and also the punishment for the same. 

During the hearing, the amicus also brought to the court's attention the issue of poor air quality around the prison due to emissions from unauthorised industries and illegal burning of tyres and electronic waste by scrap dealers there. 

Taking note of the matter, the bench directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee to carry out a survey in the area to identify the polluting units, and the EDMC was directed to take action against the scrap dealers who are burning waste there. 

The bench was hearing a PIL initiated by it last year after several prisoners moved the high court complaining about inhuman conditions and lack of medical and employment facilities at the Mandoli Jail here.