The Meghalaya Court while closing a Suo Moto Public Interest Litigation (PIL) pertaining to the pathetic condition of Jail inmates of District Jail at Shillong requested the State government to ensure that the quality of food, hygiene and discipline at the correctional homes is maintained as per the expected standards.
During the hearing of the matter the State government submitted that the major problem of congestion at the Shillong correctional home has been taken care of and new buildings have come up, even though it is proposed to shift the entirety of the Shillong correctional home to new premises.
The State has proposed to earmark a much larger area in the more modern Shillong correctional home complex. However, the proposal is that the new correctional home will come up in New Shillong where government departments are proposed to be moved and a commercial hub is planned around the area where the new Assembly has been built.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice W. Diengdoh requested the State government to look into the desirability of having a correctional home in or around a commercial hub and the State may consider locating the correctional home at the other end of Shillong where sufficient land may be available. However, it is for the State government to take a decision in such regard.
In respect of the general state of the correctional homes in the State, the petitioner does not have any major grievance. After the normalisation of life post the covid lockdowns, regular visits have been conducted by judicial officers in the districts, the State Legal Services Authority representatives, Counsel appearing for State and even High Court Judges, the Court noted.
“There is a new correctional home coming up at Nongstoin. The lack of funds has delayed the project already and the State should make every effort to ensure that the work is completed as expeditiously as possible “, the order reads.