Open prison lacks directive to operate in Banke

By Siraj Khan, Nepalgunj, Aug. 24: The first open prison of the country constructed at Ganapur of Ward No. 6 of Janaki Rural Municipality in Banke district has not been brought into operation in lack of procedures to run it. The 37-room prison constructed three years ago has been left stranded in lack of a procedure to operate the open prison.

According to Banke Prison Office, Rasuwa-Pappu Construction JV was granted the contract to complete the construction of the open jail on October 25, 2019. Although Rasuwa-Pappu got the contract under the joint venture, Pappu was given the responsibility of construction. After Pappu finished only five per cent of the work in the given time, Rasuwa completed the remaining work three years ago. 

Jailor Arjun Jung Shah said that the open prison was constructed with the aim of keeping the inmates who have completed two-thirds of their jail term. “As the authority has not prepared a procedure required to bring the open prison into operation, the one in Banke has been left empty for three years now,” added Shah.

Around a year ago, the Department of Prison Management had prepared a draft of the procedure for the operation of the open jail. “We sent around half a dozen recommendations on the draft, but it seems the procedure has not been prepared yet,” said Shah. There was a plan to bring the open prison of Banke into operation by mid-April this year, but in lack of the procedure, the plan has not been realised, informed Banke District Administration Office.

Banke’s Chief Administrative Officer Ram Kumar Sonkar said that the open prison will be used to house the inmates, who have served 75 per cent of their jail sentence, in coordination with the court.

As per the draft, those in the open prison will be allowed to work elsewhere. Officials at the Banke Prison, however, said that the draft lacked the provision as to who will be responsible for the security of the inmates when they are out for work. 

Banke Prison officials are stressing the need for bringing the open jail into operation as it would help solve the problem of overcrowding in the prison. Banke Prison has a capacity to house 250-300 prisoners but it is now accommodating 773 inmates. 

“We can shift a number of prisoners to the open prison if it comes into operation. We have sent several letters to the department for the operation of the open jail but in vain,” said Shah. Another regional prison to house up to 1,500 inmates is also being constructed at Naubasta, Banke. “The regional prison’s construction has also reached its final stage. It will also help reduce crowding in the district prison,” said Chief District Officer of Banke Surya Bahadur Khatri.