Haryana plans to construct open jails

The Haryana government is considering a proposal to install telephones in all state jails specifically for the use of prisoners. The police department sent the proposal to the state government for approval a couple of months ago. The plan is based on a similar one in Delhi’s Tihar Jail. Under the proposed plan,one or two special telephones will be installed in all 18 prisons of the state — one for calling family

members and the other for lawyers. These two numbers will be registered at the jail and no other number will be allowed to be used by the prisoners. There are around 70,000 prisoners lodged in the 18 jails of the state.

The proposal had been mooted under former director general of police (prisons) George V George,who retired last month. Talking to The Indian Express,George said the plan would prove very useful to prisoners,though it would not be very easy to implement.

To avoid any misuse of the facility,the special phone will have the facility to identify the prisoner before a call is made. The day,date and time of the conversation will be duly recorded. For this,a special software is proposed to be installed in the telephones. “The government will have to change certain rules if it wants to implement the plan. The technology,too,is not very simple and all safeguards need to be in place so that there is no misuse. At present,prisoners find it difficult to contact members of their family or their lawyers,but the phone facility will give them an opportunity to conveniently do so,” said George.

The innovative project is,however,likely to be expensive. The installation of each phone set,with software,manpower and other instruments,will cost Rs 15 lakh,it is learnt.