NHRC chairman H.L. Dattu vists Mangaluru prison

NHRC chairman H.L. Dattu vists Mangaluru prison

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Aug 25, 2016: NHRC, National Human Rights Commission chairman Justice H.L. Dattu has asked the SP  DK/Mangaluru District Prison to conduct yoga sessions for inmates to help them overcome depression. He also suggested holding regular medical check-up camps for them.

Justice  Dattu met inmates in three different blocks. He also perused records related to the murder of under trials Madoor Isubu and Ganesh Shetty on November 3, 2015.

At the meeting, Justice Dattu asked Prison Superintendent Krishnamurthy to ensure that every inmate was produced in the court for hearing of cases. If there was difficulty in producing them physically, video conferencing facility should be used. The inmate should be informed of the next date of hearing of his/her case.

NHRC Chair Justice Dattu said inmates, who do not have advocate to defend their case, should get legal assistance from the District Legal Services Authority. The inmates should get all basic facilities in the prison. Police Commissioner M. Chandra Sekhar said City Armed Reserve policemen and civil police constables were being deputed for escorting inmates to courts. DK DC Dr K.G. Jagadeesha,  MCC, Mangaluru City Corporation Commissioner Mohammed Nazir, District Health Officer Ramakrishna Rao, attended the meeting.
Govt. Wenlock Hospital to temporarily relocate jail ward :   DK DC Dr K.G. Jagadeesha on  Aug 24, Wednesday directed Government Wenlock Hospital Superintendent H. Rajeshwaridevi to relocate the jail ward in the hospital till a new ward is constructed in a separate building.

In 2013, a proposal was made for constructing a jail ward in a separate building to replace the present structure that is in a dilapidated condition.  The new building was proposed to have a medicine OPD and a modern medical record-keeping block. An estimate for Rs. 1.5 crore was submitted to the Health and Family Welfare Department. The department had asked the Karnataka Health System Development and Reform Project (KHSDRP) to study the proposal.

During the meeting of the visitors’ committee of the hospital, chaired by DK DC Dr Jagadeesha on Aug 24, Wednesday, Dr. Rajeshwaridevi said the department had asked KHSDRP officials to resubmit a proposal on construction of a building by mentioning the existing standard of rates of the Public Works Department (PWD).

The initial proposal was submitted as per the rates that prevailed in 2013, she said.  While instructing KSHDRP officials to expedite the process, DK DC  Jagadeesha asked Dr. Rajeshwaridevi to relocate the jail ward to the main building of the hospital till the new building was constructed.  She said the jail ward could be relocated to the old dialysis block. The other issues that came up during the meeting included construction of new Mangaluru district prison on 65 acres of land near Konaje.  Prison Superintendent Krishna Murthy said the chief architect of the PWD had to submit the design of the new prison. DK DC  Jagadeesha asked the PWD to expedite the process for getting government’s clearance for constructing the new building.  Among those who attended the meeting were a senior journalist and a social activist.