Punjab Newsline, Shimla, February 22-
Taking a one more step forward to Vyavastha Parivartan, now there will be no caste based discrimination in the prisons of Himachal Pradesh. A govt spokesperson said here today that on the directive of CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the State Government has amended all the caste based provisions in the Himachal Pradesh Prison Manual 2021 to ensure equality and elimination of caste based work allocation among prisoners.
He said that the State Govt has inserted a para in the Manual prohibiting caste based discrimination in prisons and correctional institutions. Under the newly added provision, para 5.66 ensures that no discrimination, classification or segregation of prisoners will occur on the basis of caste. Whereas, para 5.67 further mandates that there will be no discrimination of prisoners in allotment of any duty or work in prisons on the basis of their caste. Para 5.68 invokes the provision that prisoners will not be engaged in manual scavenging, sewer system maintenance and septic tank cleaning. Earlier, there was a provision in the Jail Manual allowing the employment of paid sweepers in the absence of female prisoners for cleaning tasks. This clause, previously under paragraph 214, has now been completely deleted.