Dilapidated prison housing three times more than its capacity

Baitadi. Management of the district jail has become a problem as it holds three times more prisoners than its capacity. The jail made to accommodate 25 people is housing 76 prisoners.

Jail chief Dhara Bhandari said that the prison building, built four decades ago, is dilapidated due to lack of regular maintenance. Rain water starts leaking from the corrugated roof of the building. Furthermore, the huge number of inmates has added challenges to security and management.

Furthermore, there is no accommodation facility for the chief of the jail or security barracks guarding the jail. “Although the jailer has to stay 24 hours a day, there is no living room, no separate meeting room and no security barracks. This adds to the security challenge.”

Bhandari said that since there are no health workers in the prison the prisoners have to be taken to the hospital when they fall sick.

Officials who come to monitor the jail from the center are aware of the problem but there is no solution as of yet. The prison building built in 2040 BS is in a dilapidated condition due to lack of maintenance. Jailer Bhandari said that details with cost estimates have been sent to the prison management department for the construction of a new building.