The perimeter walls of the District Jail, Mokokchung, are “on the verge of collapse”, according to the minutes of the 3rd Quarter Periodic District Jail Inspection held on Friday, with the Mokokchung District Legal Services Authority (MDLSA) deciding to seek their repair along with construction of a dedicated sentry post.
The inspection was conducted on August 21 under the leadership of Principal District & Sessions Judge-cum-Chairman, MDLSA, Victo Sema, along with officials from the judiciary, district administration, police and other departments.
During the inspection, the authorities reviewed follow-up action on issues identified during the previous inspection held on May 12.
It was decided that an application would be submitted to the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) at the earliest for construction of a dedicated sentry post and repair of the perimeter walls, which the inspection minutes describe as “on the verge of collapse.”
The inspection also focused on the mental health and rehabilitation of inmates.
The MDLSA decided to coordinate with the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) to provide the services of a psychiatrist for the inmates.
For skill development, inmates are to be categorised according to their areas of interest, following which the District Industrial Officer will be approached for supply of raw materials to support skill-development and inmate welfare programmes.
The authorities also decided to approach the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) for collaboration on computer literacy training and certification for inmates.
A proposal for construction of a footpath within the jail campus, which had been approved at the previous District Planning & Development Board (DPDB) meeting, will also be followed up with the DPDB chairman.
During the inspection, the Department of Youth Resources donated three volleyballs, a net and two footballs for the inmates.
The decisions were taken as part of measures aimed at improving the safety, security and overall welfare of inmates at the district jail.