Now, prisoners can pour out their woes to 'visitors'

HYDERABAD: Inmates of the Special Prison for Women, Chanchalguda can pour out their woes to a team of non-official visitors and get their problems addressed. If they have complaints against the prison authorities, they can confide in the non-official visitors who can take up the matter on their behalf.
Three non-official visitors have been appointed by the state government to the Advisory Board of the Special Prison for Women, Hyderabad for a period of three years from February 7, 2012.
The members appointed are M Santi Kumar, advocate, K Satyavathi, chief functionary of Bhumika women’s collective and Sita Balaiah, retired teacher, St Ann’s Girls High School, West Maredpally.
“The problems of the woman prisoners are plenty and different in nature. Besides other problems, most of them are depressed and they need counseling for it. As under trials, some of them are forced to spend time in prison only because they cannot afford bail. In some other cases, even their families do not know that they are in prison,” K Satyavathi of ‘Bhumika’ told TOI.
According to DIG (Prisons), Telangana, B Samuel Johnson, the non-official members will be able to interact directly with the prisoners to understand their problems. Even if these are problems pertaining to the prison, they can air them with the non-official visitors who can take up the matter with both the prison authorities and higher ups, including the DG, prisons.
The non-official members of the advisory board will be able to visit the jail at regular intervals. They will be allowed to interact with the prisoners privately without the presence of jail staff.
The non official visitors can take up any matter with the authorities be it food or legal aid. If it is a problem of facilities or the food provided, the non-official visitors can take it up with the superintendent to get it rectified.