Lucknow: A monitoring committee headed by P.C. Meena, Director General of Prison Administration and Reform Services, Uttar Pradesh, met at the department’s headquarters to review the facilities being provided to disabled inmates lodged in the state’s prisons. The meeting was held in compliance with directions issued by the Supreme Court in Satyan Naravour vs. Union of India and Others, and was aimed at ensuring effective monitoring of compliance with those directions. Officials from the Medical and Health Services department and the Divyangjan Empowerment department also attended.
Senior superintendents and superintendents of prisons from across the state joined the meeting via video conferencing. During the discussion, officials carried out a district-wise review of the medical facilities, assistive devices, accessibility measures, UDID (Unique Disability ID) cards, legal aid, rehabilitation support, and other essential services currently available to disabled inmates across the state’s various prisons.
The Director General directed officials to ensure that the rights and dignity of disabled inmates are fully protected, and that all necessary facilities are provided to them in a timely and quality manner, in line with standards set by the state and central governments. He specifically instructed officials to focus on issuing UDID cards, conducting accessibility audits, ensuring the availability of necessary assistive devices, and maintaining effective coordination with the relevant departments.
The meeting also took up suggestions and issues raised by various prisons, with officials issuing necessary instructions for their prompt resolution.
Among those present at the meeting were Additional Inspector General of Prisons Dharmendra Singh, Deputy Inspector General of Prisons Subhash Chandra Shakya, Dr. Ramdhani, and Senior Superintendent Rangbahadur Patel, along with other officials.
