On Thursday, the Delhi High Court directed the Delhi government to address the severe shortage of toilets in the city’s jails. This order comes in response to reports that inmates are forced to wait nearly three hours each morning to use restroom facilities.
A Division Bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, instructed the Public Works Department (PWD) to conduct a thorough inspection of all jails in the national capital within two weeks. The court mandated a swift resolution to any identified issues, including repairs and the construction of additional toilets and septic tanks if necessary.
"If repair work is to be done, it shall be done in two weeks... If the number of toilets is to be increased then that shall also be done... Septic tanks, if required, shall also be constructed forthwith," the Court ordered.
The court’s decision follows revelations that some inmates are compelled to clean toilets with their bare hands, without any compensation. To address this, the court directed jail authorities to hire additional staff and ensure that inmates involved in cleaning work receive at least the minimum wage. Furthermore, jail authorities must provide gloves and other protective gear to those tasked with cleaning.
These directions were issued in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Anuj Malhotra, who highlighted the dire state of toilet facilities in Delhi’s jails and alleged that manual scavenging is being practiced.
Earlier, the court had ordered an inspection of all jails in the national capital. The subsequent report indicated that while manual scavenging was not occurring, the condition of the toilets was unsatisfactory and cleaning was being carried out by inmates.
The court has scheduled the next hearing for October 22 to review compliance with its directives.
TAGS: Delhi High Court Delhi jails Public Works Department inmate sanitation prison restrooms
