Moving on from the tag 'Haven for criminals'
Journey towards a new avatar
- Sangai Express Editorial :: August 10, 2013 -

An aerial shot of Sajiwa jail

Apparently Sajiwa Jail has moved on from its earlier infamous tag, 'Haven for criminals' and seems to be well on its way to being a jail.

The turn around may not be exactly complete, but it is significant to note that a beginning towards a new avatar seems to have been initiated.

From police commandos conducting search operations inside the premises of the jail to now the Manipur High Court instructing the State Government or more specifically the Home Department to ensure certain basic facilities for the welfare of the inmates, the change is perceptible.

The prompt response of the State Government, with the Principal Secretary (Home) Dr J Suresh Babu writing to the IT Department to take up steps and extend the facilities of video conferencing, especially for jails located far from Imphal, instructing the Health Department to depute doctors and male nurses to the jails and instructing the PHED to ensure availability of potable water at the jail premises has come like a fresh breathe of air.

A sure shot statement that Sajiwa Jail has moved on from the days when it made it to the news only when some riff raffs from amongst the uniformed personnel were caught trying to smuggle in banned tobacco products inside the jail or hard core criminals running the show from inside the confines of the high security jail.

Welfare measures for the jail inmates, such as ensuring better health care facilities, potable water and video conferencing and certainly jail administration in Manipur is making news for the right reason.

On the other hand, it could also mean that certain basic facilities have been lacking in the jails, that it took a Public Interest Litigation for the Manipur High Court to issue directives to the State Government and take up corrective measures.

This however should be seen in its correct perspective for it is about the need to take up certain positive initiatives for the jails in Manipur.

It certainly would not have been an easy task to initiate the process of transforming the manner in which the jails, especially Sajiwa Jail, have been run, but the efforts certainly seem to have been made, if developments in the last few months are anything to go by.

In trying to live up to the understanding of a jail as not only a place where criminals of all hues and colours are housed, authorities of Sajiwa Jail did send out some positive signals by way of introducing certain measures such as making interested inmates undertake a course in the Art of Living, a spiritual, mental and physical exercise which has gained credence world wide.

At the last count, efforts have been initiated to open a library for the inmates too.

Certainly not an easy task it would be.

A total image change over will take more than addressing some basic amenities for the inmates or taking up some proactive measures.

And to be sure the Jail authorities, that is the men looking after the administrative aspects of the jail cannot do it alone.

How far the State Government and the allied agencies will be ready to make the efforts being initiated fructify is a crucial point.

For starters has the State Government toyed with the idea of updating the Assam Jail Manual, according to which the jails are being run and managed in the State ? Has the State Government given a thought on deputing any of the jail officials to other jails, such as Tihar Jail and see what steps have been taken up there to not only keep the inmates confined, but also rehabilitate them ? The Manipur High Court has already taken the trouble of taking up some basic issues, concerning the welfare of the jail inmates.

The Jail authorities too have taken up some measures.

It remains to be seen how the State Government as a whole respond to the changing perception of how jails should be run and administered.