...... CIVIL LIBERTIES 37 of a meagre authorization of 15 Medical Officers sanctioned for the entire jail set-up indicates a lack of concern and sensitivity towards the basic human rights of the prisoners. Huge vacancies at supervisory level and shortage of female staff are pronounced infrastructural deficiencies with serious implications. The report of the Chief Coordinator has been sent to the State Govt. and compliance will be monitored in 2004-05. 4.62 Shri A.B. Tripathy, Special Rapporteur of the Commission for Orissa and Jharkhand visited Birsa Munda Central Jail, Ranchi (8 April, 2003), Athamallik Sub-Jail, District Angul Orissa (31.5.03), District Jail, Chainbasa, Jharkhand (6.7.03), Open Air Prison, Jamjhari, Bhubneshwar (18.8.03) and Chatrapur Sub-Jail, District Ganjam Orissa (16.12.03). In his reports, the Special Rapporteur has commented on the state of buildings, prison population, state of undertrials and availability of medical facilities. All the jails visited by the Special Rapporteur have been found to be highly overcrowded and in poor sanitary and hygiene conditions. The jail buildings are old and their maintenance is suffering because of lack of resources. Huge vacancies of sanctioned posts are causing problems of management and administration. Medical facilities are unsatisfactory because of absence of regular doctors in most jails. The Special Rapporteur has pointed out the need for better facilities for the treatment of TB and mental cases in jails in Orissa. The openair prison presently holding only 42 lifers needs infrastructural up-gradation and proper staffing. Absence of elementary recreation facilities such as T.V at most places has also been pointed out by the Special Rapporteur. The Special Rapporter has also visited Choudwar Circle Jail (Cuttack) on 18.5.03 to inquire into a complaint submitted to the Commission by a prisoner alleging harassment by the jail staff. Besides looking into the complaint, the Special Rapporteur gave a broad assessment of the living conditions in jail. He has also visited Hindol (Dist. Dhankanal) sub-jail on 20.1.04 on Commission’s specific directions to inquire into the existing medical facilities and death caused due to serious disease like T.B. He submitted a report mentioning 6 deaths due to T.B. in 2001, 10 in 2002 and 7 in 2003 in 16 jails in Orissa. Reports of the Special Rapporteur were considered by the Commission and sent to the State Government with the appropriate recommendations. 2) Prison Population 4.63 Overcrowding in Jails persists as a major problem in most States/UTs. In the Commission’s view, unnecessary and unjustified arrests made by the Police and slow judicial process causing congestion of under-trial prisoners are the main causes of overcrowding in jails. The Custodial Justice Cell of the Commission under the charge of Shri Chaman Lal, Special Rapporteur is engaged in compiling and analysing the prison statistics since June 2000 in order to assess the magnitude of the problem in every State/UT. The analysis is based on State Prison statistics as of 30 June and 31 December each year. During the period of report, the Commission has analysed data relating to the prison population as of 31 ANNUAL REPORT 2003-04