Punjab govt bans outside eatables in jails

To step up security inside the prisons, the Punjab government today ordered a complete ban on eatable and other items brought by the visitors for the inmates in the jails.
Jail Minister Sarwan Singh Phillaur in a meeting with senior jail authorities directed them to make available the required essential items for the inmates in the canteens within the prison premises.
The Jail Superintendent concerned would be held responsible if any objectionable material is found supplied from outside, he said.
The Punjab government, in order to check the overcrowding of prisoners, would set up ultra modern jails, Phillaur said.
The design and plan for setting up three ultra-modern high security jails at Amritsar, Bathinda and Muktsar to be constructed at a cost of Rs 450 crore, is complete, he said.

The new jails, expected to be constructed within two years, would be equipped with CCTV cameras, mobile jammers, bio-security systems and other security measures, he said.

The Minister asked the officers to intensify efforts to check the supplying of drugs inside the jails.
Reiterating the need of allowing only listed visitors, Phillaur said the government was in the process of formulating a clear strategy of allowing only the prescribed number of visitors and that too after thorough search so that nothing from outside could be taken inside the prisons.
Referring to the deaths of the inmates in the prisons, the Minister asked the doctors posted in the jails to ensure the best possible health care to the patients.