Mizoram's Home Minister Pu Lalchamliana in his message to the people of the state yesterday spoke on the measures taken up by the departments under him, especially highlighting the works done by Department of Disaster Management & Rehabilitation as well as the grant of parole to selected prisoners following the Supreme Court's recent directive.
Firstly, the Department of Disaster Management & Rehabilitation, which comes under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, has already spent Rs. 4,28,03,200 to help the fight against COVID-19 and essential protective gears for medical personnel and frontline workers have also been bought by the department. Working under the direction of the Ministry, the Disaster Management & Rehabilitation Department has sanctioned Rs.1,48,70000/- to the Health Department for expenditures towards collection of Quarantine Samples, Screening, etc.
Secondly, the Department has also sanctioned Rs.54,40000/- to help the work of checking, screening and tracing possible COVID-19 suspects crossing into the state through the airport or border checkgates.
Thirdly, Rs.99,95,200/- has been used to purchase surgical gloves, fumigator, disinfectant and PPE Kits.
District Disaster Management Authority in all Districts have been sanctioned financial aid amounting to Rs.1,24,98,000/- in total, in order to supplement quarantine facilities, strengthen Task Forces and help follow up contact tracing. Sanction for each district is as follows :
Aizawl District - Rs.27,10,000/-
Lunglei District - Rs.12,10,000/-
Siaha District - Rs.10,00,000/-
Champhai District - Rs.12,00,000/-
Kolasib District - Rs. 12,10,000/-
Serchhip District - Rs.7,30,000/-
Lawngtlai District - Rs.14,55,000/-
Mamit District - Rs.12,90,000/-
Khawzawl District - Rs.5,56,000/-
Saitual District - Rs.5,86,000/-
Hnahthial District - Rs. 5,51,000/-
The Home Minister also clarified that the parole granted recently to 337 convicts and undertrials in total by the State's High Power Committee was under the clear directive of the Supreme Court. The main objective is to lighten the density of prisoners in various jails across the country in order to mitigate the threat of COVID-19 easily spreading among jail inmates. This grant of early parole to prisoners is not confined to the jails in Mizoram only but is to be executed in all the jails across India. In Mizoram, 289 first-time undertrials have been temporarily released on bail and 48 convicts almost finishing their jail terms have been granted remission. There is a likely apprehension that releasing 337 prisoner all at once may be dangerous for society in general. However, the Minister has assured that the procedure of release of the prisoners will be done in a secure and orderly manner, escorted upto their doorsteps by the concerned district authorities. He also assured in his statement that none of the prisoners have contracted COVID-19 in jail and are of sound health but to be on the safe side, they will be put under home quarantine for 14 days nonetheless.
The number of convicts to be granted remission from various jails in the state are as follows : Central Jail, Aizawl - 20, District Jail, Aizawl - 4, District Jail, Lunglei - 5, District Jail, Siaha - 7, District Jail, Kolasib - 4, District Jail, Champhai - 2, District Jail, Lawngtlai - 1 and District Jail, Mamit - 5.
First-time offenders under trial, totalling 289, who will be granted parole from various courts are as follows : Aizawl District Court, Aizawl - 150, Champhai District Court, Champhai - 25, Kolasib District Court, Kolasib - 46, Serchhip District Court, Serchhip - 26, Mamit District Court, Mamit - 21, Lunglei District Court, Lunglei - 15, Siaha District Court, Siaha - 1, Lawngtlai District Court, Lawngtlai - 5.
Old and physically ailing prisoners will also be released on bail as follows : Central Jail, Aizawl - 6, District Jail, Aizawl - 6, District Jail, Lunglei - 3, District Jail, Kolasib - 4 and District Jail, Champhai - 6. Despite these measures, Lunglei District Jail still remains very congested and hence, it has been decided to move 4 of its inmates to Lawngtlai District Jail under strict supervision of the district magistrate and police.
The Home Minister in his concluding remarks urged the people to continue social distancing and obey the government's orders for lockdown, biding by the rules of Local Level Task Forces and staying at home to break the chain of easy spread of COVID-19 in the state.
