State Government Launched Special Review Committee for Detenus

State Government Launched Special Review Committee for Detenus

Panel to submit report in 3 months

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The State Government has formed a special review committee headed by DIG (Border), D Mukherjee, to review the living and other conditions of the detenus staying in the six detention camps in the State.

The decision for this committee was taken after the October 19, 2019 meeting between Chief Minister Sarbananda and leaders of the All Assam Bengali Youth Federation. The situation, which arose after the death of FT (Foreigners Tribunal)-declared foreigner Dulal Chandra Paul while in treatment at the GMCH (Gauhati Medical College Hospital), prompted the government to form this committee. Initially the next of kin of Dulal Chandra Paul had refused to receive the body for about ten days. The State Government felt the necessity of such a committee after the experience it had in the episode of Dulal Chandra Paul.

Apart from the living condition of the around 900 detenus staying in the six detention camps in the State, the special committee will see the quality of food, hygienic condition, health status, education facilities being provided to the children of detenus in the detention camps etc, and submit its report to the government within three months. When needed, the special committee will have to suggest measures to be taken for the detenus and their children.

According to a high-level source, in every district which has a detention camp, the Joint Health Director will constitute a district medical board to take stock of the health status of the detenus on a regular basis. When necessary, the medical board will suggest measures to be taken for further treatment of the detenus.

According to the source, if any member of a detenu moves the High Court or the Supreme Court of India seeking justice for the person languishing in a detention camp, the State Government will provide them legal assistance. The Board will also see if proper educational facilities are provided to children staying with any of their detenu parents, the source said. The problem in Assam is that all the six detention camps are attached to district jails. However, now the State government has taken up a project to set up 11 separate detention camps in the State, and among them the detention camp at Matia in Goalpara district is almost complete. The camp with all facilities has a capacity of 3,000 detenus. The other members of the committee are IG of Prisons, Justice (retd) Hardeep Singh and the DCs of concerned districts will depute a representative each from their respective administrations.

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