650 active cases in prisons across Punjab

Tribune News Service
Faridkot, May 7

Jails Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa today said there were a total of 23,502 inmates in 25 jails of the state. He conducted the inspection of jails in Muktsar and Faridkot and ordered the strict compliance of Covid safety protocols.

“The Jail Department has conducted 60,000 tests since the pandemic started. Of these, 3,294 inmates have reported positive,” he said.

The minister said at present 650 prisoners in the state were Covid positive and 5,813 inmates, including 460 women, in the 45+ category had undergone vaccination.

He also said 2,408 jail employees had been vaccinated and 24-hour medical services had also been ensured for the inmates. We had asked the health department to provide 50 oximeters each for all central jails and 15 each for small jails, he added.

He said in view of Covid crisis, the jail department had reserved District Jail, Ludhiana, Moga jail and special jail at Bathinda for men inmates, and Malerkotla jail for women inmates infected with Covid.

He said one lakh masks had been distributed in the jails and the barracks in all prisons had been sanitised. The meeting of the inmates with their family members is arranged through e-Prison or WhatsApp Video calls.

Taking stock of arrangements in Faridkot jail, the Minister said that the senior officials of the department would also conduct checking in other jails. He also said he would emphatically take up with the higher authorities the issue of vaccination for 18-45 age group inmates and get it started soon.

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