KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
The government Monday refuted allegations that the Central Jail Kathi Darwaza in Srinagar was overcrowded. However, the details it subsequently furnished, disclosed that as many as 9 different jails across the state were overcrowded.
Responding to a question by MLC Bashir Ahmad Veeri, government said that Central Jail Srinagar had some 329 prisoners lodged inside as against the capacity of 360 inmates as on September 30, 2015.
Giving details on the capacity of the 14 jails existing in the state and inmate position as on 30th September 2015, the government disclosed that Central Jail Kotbhawal, Jammu housed 311 inmates against capacity of 920. The lodgment for District Jail, Jammu, District Jail, Kathua, District Jail, Udhampur, District Jail Poonch, District Jail, Baramulla, District Jail, Rajouri, District Jail, Kupwara, District Jail, Anantnag, District Jail, Leh, District Jail, Kishtwar, Sub Jail, Hiranagar and Sub Jail, Reasi was 522, 110, 262, 93, 158, 118, 93, 158, 32, 87, 95 and 38 against the capacity of 450, 300, 250, 136, 120, 100, 100, 60, 30, 80, 75, and 30 respectively.
On question about the status of the newly constructed jails, the government said that a major construction work of the new District Jail Pulwama has been completed except minor renovation works of some structures which could not be taken up due to occupation of the premises by an Army unit earlier. It said that Director General of Police, J&K has been advised to effect necessary deployment of a company of either CRPF or any other CAP (like SSB) for the security of District Jail Pulwama so that it is operationalized and the issue of overcrowding of inmates in other Jails in addressed.
On question if land was identified for state for art jail at Zeewan (200 kanal) and if ye, then why was it not transferred, the government revealed that the prisons department had identified 200 kanals of land belonging to Agriculture Department at Zawoora, Zewan Srinagar for construction of new Central Jail Srinagar. However, the records of the Prison Headquarters relating to his subject got washed away in the September 2014 floods. In view of this, the government said that prison department has again requested the Divisional commissioner, Kashmir o furnish the relevant records for processing the case further.
