44 i CtVIL LIBERTIES
prisoners was an important activity undertaken by the Commission in the discharge
ofits responsibilities under section 12 (c) ofthe Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.
One-day workshops were held in Lucknow (12 May 2001), Agra (23 June 2001),
Dehradun (12 July 2001), Bhubaneswar (9 November 2001) and Varanasi (24 March,
2002). A total, of 137 jail officials, including two Inspectors General of Prisons, seven
Deputy Inspectors General of Prisons and 94 Senior Superintendents/
Superintendents of Jails attended these workshops. The workshops were conducted
by the Chief Coordinator of the Custodial Justice Cell with the assistance of the Special
Representatives of the Commission for Uttar Pradesh and Orissa. In addition to
informing on matters relating to the human rights of prisoners, the workshops
specifically apprised them of important judgements of the Supreme Court, on
subjects relevant to the rights of prisoners and conditions in jails. The workshops also
devoted time to issues concerning jail reform, including matters arising from the UN
Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, the recommendations of the
MuUa Committee Report on jail reforms and measures initiated by the Commission to
improve conditions in jails. The workshops in Lucknow, Dehradun and Bhubaneswar
were inaugurated by the Chairperson of the Commission. Justice Smt. Sujata V.
Manohar, Member, inaugurated the workshop in Varanasi.
4.65 The concluding session of each workshop was devoted to a discussion on the
problems of administration, finance, security and discipline being experienced by jail
officials. This proved to be useful in identifying certain serious inadequacies of
infrastructure and logistics in prison administration which are responsible for mal
administration and poor conditions in jails.
4.66 The Chief Coordinator, Custodial Justice Cell and the Special Representative,
Uttar Pradesh undertook a review of the jail infrastructure and connected facilities in
that State. They submitted a detailed report on the subject, covering issues that
included the staffing pattern, buildings, medical facilities, education and vocational
training of prisoners, arrangements for production of undertrials in courts, and
housing facilities for jail staff. Precise suggestions were made to bring about the
desired improvement. The report was considered by the Commission on 7 August
2001 and forwarded to the Government of Uttar Pradesh for follow-up; this will be
monitored Similar exercises will be undertaken in certain States in 2002-2003.
NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION