A data obtained by Republica from the Department of Prison Management shows that the number of prisoners has increased by more than double compared to ten years ago. [break]
Since all prisons in the country are overcrowded, the condition of detention is extremely poor and prisoners are forced to live in inhuman conditions. Problems related to health, education and sanitation have exacerbated as the government has failed to upgrade the infrastructures.
"We have accommodated the prisoners in makeshift camps and used every space available in the prisons, both at central and district levels to adjust the large number of population," said Durga Prasad Bhandari, Director General of DoPM.
"The problem of space will be there unless new prisons are constructed and other infrastructures are maintained. Due to lack of adequate budget, the existing infrastructures including buildings are in a very poor state," he said.
As of now, there are 12,875 inmates, which is 6,028 more than the number of prisoners in 2001. But the prisons across the country have a capacity to accommodate only 6,416 inmates, according to the data provided by the Department of Prison Management.
“The number of prisoners have exceeded almost by 50 percent if compared to the data ten years ago,” said Anil Poudel, Section Officer at the Department of Prison Management (DoPM). “As far as we have noticed, the number of prisoners is increasing by 300 every month.”
As per the existing law, every prisoner should receive 700 gram of rice and Rs 45 per day including two sets of clothes in a year and a Dashain bonus of Rs 300.
Of 74 prisons with capacity to accommodate 6,416 inmates in the country, almost all prisons are overcrowded. Central Prison Jaganathdewol in Kathmandu has a capacity of 1,200 prisoners but the current population is 1,966.
Dillibazar Jail has a capacity of 150 but 571 prisoners are currently lodged there while Nakkhu Jail has a population of 491 against its official capacity of 150. Similarly, 581 prisoners are lodged against the capacity of 200 prisoners in Jhapa Jail.
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