PANAJI
The Prisons Department is grappling with a severe staff crunch crisis, situation which has persisted for over a decade now. With no recruitment in the past 11 years and retirement of officials coupled with the unfortunate deaths of four jail officials due to Covid-19, the existing jail guards and officials at Colvale Central Jail are under immense strain.
Sources told The Goan that among the entire staff, jail guards are the worst affected. Their duties include patrolling of blocks and ensuring the overall security inside the premises. However, due to the shortage of personnel, the current staff is compelled to work additional hours with minimal breaks, leading to exhaustion and potential compromises in security.
The jail has already gained notoriety with instances of clashes between the inmates, smuggling of banned substances, purportedly including weapons too; use of mobile phones including access to Google Pay and social networking sites, and alleged abuse of drugs as well. A recent crackdown has nevertheless created a sense of fear among the inmates, especially the unruly inmates.
Sources further revealed to The Goan that while there is already a scarcity of guards at the outposts around the premises, a significant portion of them are assigned to back-office work.
"This allocation of resources has further worsened the problem, leaving even fewer personnel available for field duty," After the closure of the under trial jails and the old Aguada Jail, all the prisoners and staff were transferred to Colvale Central Jail. It was anticipated that there would be no difficulties in managing its operations. However, prisoner numbers don't reduce while the number of personnel on duty is declining."
The issue doesn’t end here. Another concern has been raised before the senior jail officers -- the prolonged posting of several staff at their current locations for a decade or more.
“This combination of an extended period without recruitment, retirement of experienced officials, Covid-19 fatalities, and the misallocation of personnel has created a critical situation within the Colvale jail. As per our latest information, 4-5 jail officials are unwell due to Covid-19,” the source said.
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