Covid cases at Nahan jail, little space for isolation

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, October 19

The emergence of Covid cases in the Central Model Jail at Nahan has left the authorities worried as there is little space to isolate the rising number of patients.

As many as 20 inmates tested Covid positive today while about 25 had tested positive last fortnight.

Deputy Commissioner RK Pruthi said the provision of a safe isolation facility outside the jail premises was also explored but owing to safety reasons, it was not accepted by jail authorities. The health authorities as well as the SDM had been regularly visiting the jail to guide them about the safety measures, but it had not yielded the desired result.

Authorities worried

• The authorities are worried as there is little space to isolate the rising number of patients
• Deputy Commissioner RK Pruthi said safe isolation facility outside the jail premises was explored but owing to safety reasons, it was not accepted by jail authorities
• A suggestion to separate patients who are hardcore criminals was also explored so that others could be shifted outside but due to the lack of security, it could not be accepted

A suggestion to segregate the patients comprising hardcore criminals was also explored so that the others could be shifted outside but following lack of security, it could not be accepted by the jail officials.

The rising cases have become a cause for concern for the district administration as Sirmaur has registered more than 2,000 cases. A visible decline has, however, been witnessed in the new cases. The DC said it was worrisome that Covid cases were rising in the jail and this would offset their efforts to contain the infection in the district.

The recovery rate in the district was around 91.7 per cent as 1,940 people had been cured. The rate had fallen to less than 65 per cent in September when the maximum cases were registered in the district.

DGP, Prisons, Somesh Goyal said that the infected inmates should be kept at Covid care centres and should not be denied medical care merely because they were criminals. He said such centres would have to be provided security by the police and all facilities like toilet, cook house, etc., should be located on the campus.

Goyal added that 25 patients had cured now and the new patients would be housed in the isolation facilities created in the jail. Such problems had also occurred in Hamirpur where the local administration refused to house the Covid inmates in the Covid care centres.