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The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday raised concerns over the growing number of prisoners in Punjab who become drug-dependent after being imprisoned, warning that the issue could undermine their constitutional right to life.
A Bench of Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor noted that 15,768 of the 35,449 inmates in Punjab prisons, around 44 per cent, are currently drug-dependent. Data presented before the Court showed that nearly 83 percent of these inmates were enrolled in Out Patient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) clinics only after entering prison.
“Learned Amicus Curiae has pointed out from the affidavit filed by the State of Punjab on the previous occasion that, at the time of entry into jail, 2540 inmates
were already registered under the Out Patient Opioid Assisted Treatment Clinic (OOAT Clinic) and were being administered tablets/medicines prior to their admission. The number of inmates who presently are drug dependent is 15768,” the court observed, according to a report on Bar and Bench.
The Court said the figures pointed to a serious problem within Punjab’s prison system.
“It shows that not only are those entering jail, drug dependent, but there is a growth of almost 4-5 times in the number of jail inmates who become drug dependent after their entry into jail,” the court added.
It directed the Punjab government to explain how it is implementing scientific de-addiction programmes mandated under prison rules. The Centre was also asked to submit its methodology for helping affected inmates return to normal life.
“We may indicate that this is a serious issue, and we expect the authorities to remain alive to their obligations to help such inmates in securing their right to life under the Constitution of India,” the Court said.
Meanwhile, Haryana reported 1,295 drug-dependent inmates out of 27,111. The figure has fallen from 1,829 after treatment was provided.
