Annual Report 1999-2000 served to the inmates was poor in quality and inadequate in quantity. The supply of medicines was poor and the two .blankets provided to each inmate, in the cold climate of Shillong, were in a poor shape. 3.78 What was most shocking was the presence of a girl child of about 10-11 years of age, who was an 'undertrial prisoner'. Under the provisions of the JuvenileJustice Act, no child can be kept in a regular jail. Thejail houses many undertrial prisoners who had been languishing there for periods ranging from 1-9 years. Some of the prisoners had not been produced in court even once over periods ranging from 1-3 years. According to the jail authorities, the undertrials were not being produced in court due to lack of escort facilities. 3.79 In view ofthe defidendes and the appalling conditions ofthese two jails, the Member made a number of suggestions for the Commission to consider and forward to the State Government. 3.80 Members of the Investigation Division of the Commission visited and carried out investigations in District/Central Jails at Agra, Lucknow, Jaipur, Hhar (Delhi) and Meerut on the basis of specific complaints received by the Commission. The Director General (Investigation) ofthe Commission also visited Sabarmati Centraljail, Ahmedabad; Central Jail, Chennai; Central Prison, Thiruvananthapuram; Central Prison, Vasco (Goa); Central Prison, Ranchi; Central Prison and the Jail in Pondicherry. During the course of his visits, he noted in particular, the overcrowding and inadequate staff, and also received individual complaints alleging harassment, toiture, poor quality of rations, the non-supply of books/periodicals and the non-existence of grievance redressal systems. The observations of the Director General (Investigation) were duly communicated to the State Governments, which have stated that corrective measures were being taken to improve conditions in the prisons that were inspected. CONDITIONS OF REMAND HOMES 3.81 The Commission has continued to keep a vigilant eye on conditions in Remand Homes. As a part of the effort to get first hand information on the situation in some of these facilities, members of the Investigation Division of the Commission visited the Remand Homes in Varanasi and Bijnore on specific directions of the Commission. These visits were followed by a further inspection made by Shri Chaman Lai, Special Rapporteur ofthe Commission. Based on their reports, the Commission directed the State Government of Uttar Pradesh to take a series of measures to rectify and improve conditions of these Remand Homes. The Government of Uttar Pradesh has since reported compliance with these recommendations. 40