PANJIM: Even as the Prisons department is all set to shift 350-odd prisoners in the new facility at Colvale from first week of June, the absconding ex-minister Francisco Mickky Pacheco is likely to be one of the star prisoners, albeit authorities claiming “they won’t give any special treatment to him.”
The Prisons department is already busy chalking out a comprehensive plan to shift the prisoners under high security. The Phase-I of the state-of-the-art jail will be inaugurated on May 30.
The jail does not have VIP cell for high profile criminals as it has been divided into criminal and civil prisoners, and detainees. “Politicians will not be given different treatment. For us everyone is an accused. Profession does not come in the way…” Inspector General of Prisons Elvis Gomes told Herald, when asked whether special arrangements would be made for Pacheco.
While Pacheco is already sentenced to six months jail in the junior engineer assault case, several politicians like Congress leaders Pratapsing Rane, Vishwajeet Rane, Chandrakant ‘Babu’ Kavlekar, former PWD minister Churchill Alemao and other high profiles individuals like Prafula Hede are currently facing investigation for various serious offences.
In 2013, Goa’s ex-chief minister Manohar Parrikar had passed a witty comment in the Legislative Assembly stating he would ensure the modern jail has air conditioned suites for VIPs. “See, I said this and somebody sitting there (treasury benches) asked me whether it is for Churchill (Alemao),” he was quoted as saying.
About 120 convicts lodged in the oldest Portuguese-built Central jail at Aguada, 99-odd undertrials from Mapusa sub-jail, and nearly 300 at Sada sub-jail – having cases in the jurisdiction of north district, will be shifted under strict police protection. “I will be writing to Goa police to deploy enough number of ‘escort cell’ policemen at the time of shifting the prisoners to Colvale jail,” he stated.
Meanwhile, addressing a press briefing on Wednesday, Gomes informed that the project costing Rs 107.72 crore has been spent on Phase I consisting of three barracks – two of which will be used to house the prisoners, staff quarters, kitchen, administrative block,15-bedded hospital and a dental unit. The jail will also house over 50 narcotics prisoners.
“A community hall has been attached to one of the barracks where prisoners will carry out extra-curriculum activities such as carpentry, paintings, tailoring, art and craft. The bakery unit will also begin soon,” he said. Phase II, the IGP added, would be complete by October 2015.
The authorities have also implemented e-court scheme wherein communication of the court with the prisoners would be done via video-conferencing. The system, which comes after Supreme Court’s direction, will not only reduce physical appearance of the accused in the courts, it will also prevent escapes of inmates either enroute to court from jail, or from the court premises.
“Unless directed by the Court, the inmate will not be taken to the court for the hearing,” the officer added.
The Colvale jail with 20 blocks can accommodate over 600 prisoners, with a separate facility for women prisoners and latest security surveillance with CCTV cameras. Asked about mobile jammers, he said the proposal is still being analyzed as it costs a whopping Rs 3 crore.
“All the detection instruments like frisking machineries and CCTVs are in place… Somebody did recommend installing hand held mobile jammers but since mobile jammers costs Rs 3 crore we will have to wait. All these are being analyzed,” he commented.
