The State government has said that the central jail at Mawdiangdiang has been constructed to accommodate the huge number of inmates. It also said that the work is nearing completion.
The State government informed this during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Meghalaya High Court today.
According to the government, the construction of the part for convicted inmates and another part for under-trial prisoners and mentally challenged inmates is complete to the extent of 80 per cent and an additional dining hall and kitchen are complete to the extent of 70 per cent.
As far as the proposed new correctional home at New Shillong is concerned, the State government informed that though the construction work has not commenced, an amount of Rs 70 lakh out of the proposed initial expenditure of Rs 7 crore has already been released for the project.
On this the division bench of the High Court said that even though the plan has already been prepared and the area earmarked, the State government should consider whether it would be appropriate to construct the new correctional home in New Shillong.
According to the High Court, New Shillong has been identified as the business district of Shillong in future and where all major administrative wings, including the new Assembly, are coming up. The area also has NEIGRIHMS on the one side and the new campuses of the Indian Institute of Management and the National Institute of Fashion Technology.
“In the event New Shillong develops as it is proposed, a correctional home in the middle of the business district may be found to be inappropriate in the next 20 or 30 years by the time the place developed,” the High Court said.
The court also said that it is necessary to emphasise that separate facilities must be created at all correctional homes for trans-genders or members of the LGBTQ community, particularly keeping in mind that they are not harassed by the other inmates.
Meanwhile, the High Court has decided to hear the matter after six weeks “in the hope that the temporary additional facilities at the present Shillong correctional home would be ready by then”. The matter has been listed on July 18.
