The Delhi High Court on Thursday ordered the Delhi government to consider increasing the number of toilets in Delhi's jails after it was flagged that some inmates have to wait for nearly three hours in the morning to use restroom facilities..A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela ordered the Public Works Department (PWD) to inspect all the jails in the national capital and examine the status of toilets and washrooms in two weeks."If repair work is to be done, it shall be done in two weeks...If the number of toilets is to be increased then that shall also be done... Septic tanks, if required, shall also be constructed forthwith," the Court ordered.After it was pointed out that some of the inmates are forced to clean the toilet themselves with bare hands, without any compensation, the Court directed the jail authorities to hire additional staff and to provide at least the minimum wage to the inmates involved in cleaning work.The jail authorities have also been directed to ensure that gloves and other gear are given to people involved in cleaning toilets and washrooms..The Court passed these directions while dealing with a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by one Anuj Malhotra.It was alleged that the situation of toilets in Delhi's jails is very bad and manual scavenging is going on in these prisons.The Court had earlier ordered inspection of all the jails in the national capital.A report was then furnished to the Court stating that while manual scavenging is not happening, the condition of the toilets is not satisfactory and cleaning is being done by inmates.The Court has now listed the case on October 22 for compliance.
The Delhi High Court on Thursday ordered the Delhi government to consider increasing the number of toilets in Delhi's jails after it was flagged that some inmates have to wait for nearly three hours in the morning to use restroom facilities..A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela ordered the Public Works Department (PWD) to inspect all the jails in the national capital and examine the status of toilets and washrooms in two weeks."If repair work is to be done, it shall be done in two weeks...If the number of toilets is to be increased then that shall also be done... Septic tanks, if required, shall also be constructed forthwith," the Court ordered.After it was pointed out that some of the inmates are forced to clean the toilet themselves with bare hands, without any compensation, the Court directed the jail authorities to hire additional staff and to provide at least the minimum wage to the inmates involved in cleaning work.The jail authorities have also been directed to ensure that gloves and other gear are given to people involved in cleaning toilets and washrooms..The Court passed these directions while dealing with a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by one Anuj Malhotra.It was alleged that the situation of toilets in Delhi's jails is very bad and manual scavenging is going on in these prisons.The Court had earlier ordered inspection of all the jails in the national capital.A report was then furnished to the Court stating that while manual scavenging is not happening, the condition of the toilets is not satisfactory and cleaning is being done by inmates.The Court has now listed the case on October 22 for compliance.