TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The State authorities have granted conditional consent to the Aguada jail authorities to cook food at their kitchen from next week, officials said. Directions were issued to stop cooking food at the jail after a case of food poisoning on May 31 resulted in the death of one and hospitalisation of several jailbirds after consuming the food cooked at the jail kitchen.
The inspection by sub divisional magistrate Sabaji Shetye and officials of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) and PWD has revealed that most of the directions given to improve sanitation at the jail kitchen were reportedly complied with by jail authorities, except for seepage on one kitchen wall. The inspection was carried out earlier this week.
“The rectification has been made except that there is water leakage over the wall …We understand it is due to the rains and since the structure is centuries old. We have granted permission for cooking but with this final improvement,” FDA Director Salim Veljee said.
The Inspector General of Prisons Mihir Vardhan however has insisted that he wants a full fledged functioning of the kitchen.
“We have asked the PWD to complete the remaining civil works within the next three-to-four days. Hopefully cooking will resume next week… Cooking will begin only after the works are completed,” he told Herald.
The PWD had begun sanitization of the unhygienic conditions of kitchen a month ago, and listed out some urgent renovation work. Sources said the kitchen and water tanks have been cleaned. Similarly, the drinking water pipes and sewerage pipes were replaced with new ones.
Murder convict Mahadev Gaonkar died and around 139 inmates from Aguada jail and Mapusa police lockup fell ill after consuming the dinner cooked by inmates.
A magisterial inquiry headed by Additional District Collector Dipak Desai was ordered to probe suspected foul play into the incident. A report is likely to be submitted later this month.
