450+ inmates housed in spl section of Rewari jail

ROHTAK: As many as 450 inmates from 11 jails in Haryana who tested positive have been shifted to a special section of Rewari jail dedicated to Covid inmates, prison officials said.

Inmates from Haryana jails have been shifted here for isolation after they tested positive. This jail is under construction and 20% of its work is yet to be completed.

BS Yadav, assistant superintendent of special section of Rewari jail, said 450 inmates have been shifted here in the last 10 days.

“We are adhering to social distancing and following the guidelines issued by the Union ministry of home affairs. A team of doctors, including a medical officer, nurses and other staff are deployed here for 24-hours to check the health status of inmates,” he said.

“The inmates are stable and some of them are suffering from fever, cough and cold. If any inmate in Haryana tests positive, he will be shifted here,” Yadav added.

As many as 284 inmates of 512 (60%) tested positive at Nasibpur jail in Mahendergarh on May 5 and 6.

“The situation is being monitored closely,” Mahendergarh deputy commissioner Ajay Kumar said.

Vaccination not given to inmates

A senior health official, pleading anonymity, said jails are overcrowded and it is a difficult task to maintain social distancing among inmates.

“Even the jails are overcrowded and there are chances of further spread of the virus. We are surprised as to why vaccination drive was not carried out for inmates even as many are aged or suffering from health complications,” the official added.

Haryana jail minister Ranjit Singh Chautala said rise in inmates testing positive is reported in the second wave.

“In the first wave, we did not have to set up a dedicated jail for Covid inmates but this time we have decided to provide isolation facility to Covid inmates at Rewari jail, which is under construction. If the cases among inmates increase, we will think of setting up another jail,” he added.

“I will talk to the health department to inoculate the staff of power and jail staff, besides giving jabs to inmates,” Chautala said.