Himalaya Harbinger Bureau, Rudrapur: Uttarakhand, traditionally known for its tranquility, is grappling with a severe overcrowding issue in its prisons, according to recent revelations under the Right to Information Act. Nadeem Uddin, an advocate and a Right to Information activist from Kashipur in district Udham Singh Nagar, unearthed the shocking statistics, exposing a stark reality of prisons operating at almost double their intended capacity.
As per the information obtained from the Inspector General of Prisons, Uttarakhand, there are a total of 6603 prisoners housed in the state’s 10 general jails, a number nearly doubling their combined capacity of 3461. Additionally, 48 convicted prisoners are lodged in Sampurnanand Shi Sitarganj (Open Jail), further exacerbating the overcrowding dilemma.
The data reveals that, except for Sampurnanand Camp Jail Sitarganj (Open Jail) and District Jail Chamoli, all other prisons in the state house more inmates than their sanctioned capacity. District Jail Almora, for instance, accommodates 354 prisoners against its capacity of 102, exceeding its limits by a staggering 347 percent. The Haldwani sub-jail, with a capacity of 555 prisoners, currently holds 1502, representing 271 percent of its capacity.
District Jail Dehradun is not far behind, hosting 1499 prisoners against its capacity of 580, standing at 258 percent. Other prisons facing similar issues include Nainital District Jail (170 prisoners, 239 percent of capacity), Roorkee sub-jail (439 prisoners, 180 percent of capacity), and District Jail Haridwar (1340 prisoners, 151 percent of capacity).
Notably, only two prisons in Uttarakhand house fewer inmates than their sanctioned capacity. Sampoornanand Shivir (Open Jail) in Sitarganj, designed for convicted prisoners with a capacity of 300, currently has only 48 inmates, a mere 16 percent of its capacity. District Jail Chamoli, among general jails, has 128 prisoners against its capacity of 169, representing 76 percent.
Human Rights activist and author Nadeem Uddin expressed deep concern over the violation of constitutional and human rights of prisoners, urging authorities to address the issue promptly. Uddin proposed constructing new jails in urban centers like Kashipur and Rudrapur, expanding existing facilities, and emphasizing open jails. He emphasized the need to release eligible prisoners under Supreme Court directives, safeguarding both prisoner rights and reducing government expenditure.
In light of this crisis, demands are growing for sentence remission, bail, and parole for eligible prisoners, a move that could alleviate the burden on existing prison facilities.
