Team Herald

VASCO: Five months ago, the Prison Authorities in Goa temporarily shifted all the inmates lodged at Sada Sub Jail to Colvale central jail so that the dilapidated and old jail building could be given a physical facelift by way of renovation/repairs that was planned to kick start soon after inmates were shifted.

Surprisingly even after five months, the renovation/repairs work of the jail building is yet to start as the buildings section of the Public Works Department (PWD) is yet to submit the structural stability report to the Prison authorities. This undue delay in work has put a question mark, whether the Sada jail inmates were shifted temporarily or permanently.

As per the information received from the Officials from Prison department, the decision to shift the shift Sada sub jail inmates to Colvale jail was taken only after the building structure was reported weak and PWD suggested structural repairs following the clash between the jail inmates and jailbreak attempt by them on January 24, 2017.

“It is true that the Sada jail inmates were shifted to Colvale jail for a temporary period as the repair/renovation works of Sada sub jail building was suggested by the PWD. We were waiting for a report from the PWD on whether they want to take up the repair/renovation works in piecemeal or they want to build a new jail building. Sadly, we are yet to hear from the PWD as they have not yet replied to our request till date, though specific instructions were given during the meeting conveyed by the IG prison few months ago,” said Additional Inspector General of Prison Siddhivinayak Naik.

Commenting further, Naik said, “PWD was supposed to conduct some structural stability test and then to inform about the proposal. If they had completed the task, then, we would have prepared our budget estimates and by now repairs works would have started. Though I am worried about the delay, but we have to wait until PWD replies to us. Also, since we had informed the higher authorities that the inmates were shifted to Colvale temporarily, this delay by PWD worries us more as we have to take some decision about the inmates who were shifted temporarily.” 

However, Assistant Engineer PWD (buildings section) A D Nagarachi claimed that PWD has proposed to construct a new building that would be built over the vacant land inside the jail which was used for gardening. 

“During my last meeting with IG Prison, instructions were given to us to conduct structural stability test and to look for another option for building a new jail building. Now, we have started preparations to construct a new jail building adjacent to the existing building which would also be repaired and then will be used as office and godown,” Nagarchi said.