State constitutes panel to set up semi and open prisons at Colvale jail

Panaji: State govt granted permission to set up a semi-open prison. It has also cleared the setting up of an open correctional institution at Central Jail, Colvale. At present, 108 convicts are lodged in the jail.Govt on Thursday formed a three-member monitoring committee for management of the institution, headed by high court legal services committee chairperson Justice Valmiki Menezes. Members include IG (prisons) Keshav Ram Chaurasia and director (NRI) Anthony D’Souza.The prisons department had submitted the proposal, which has been approved. Eligibility criteria include completion of 90% of the sentence and conduct in jail, etc.“We are setting up facilities of an open correctional institution within a semi prison. First, the prisoner will be moved to a semi prison and then to the open prison. Around seven prisoners are eligible to shift to open prison. Govt has granted permission to set up a semi open prison,” Chaurasia said.The committee has to ensure compliance with the directions issued by Supreme Court, oversee the utilisation, functioning and expansion of OCIs, facilitate the timely identification and transfer of eligible prisoners from closed prisons to OCIs and periodically review progress and address systematic impediments in the implementation of the directions issued by Supreme Court.“Submission of status reports to the high court, on regular intervals, detailing the steps taken towards compliance with the directions issued,” under secretary (home) Manthan Naik said.Supreme Court has directed state govts to establish open prisons, in order to ease the burden on the prison system and to ensure smoother rehabilitation of inmates on release, and Goa govt has started the work to open a semi-open prison.In 2021, state govt framed new prison rules, under which the grounds were laid for the introduction of open prisons, semi-open prisons, and open colonies and camps.The Central Jail at Colvale will also have its first model prison cell as per international standards to lodge extradited prisoners of foreign nationalities. Chaurasia said that the model prison cell can accommodate two prisoners, and it will be spacious.