PATNA: The state government has initiated action to demolish any private or commercial structure built around any prison in violation of rules and regulations and is posing serious security threats to these sensitive installations.
Constructions have been found near Beur Central jail, district jails at Hajipur, Katihar and Sitamarhi and Bhagalpur special central jail. Home department sources said the process is going on to earmark the other such prisons.
Sources said owners of 40 residential and commercial buildings around Beur jail and 31 owners of such properties around Katihar district jail have been served notices in the last one week as per law before taking up the demolition drive. At present, there are eight central, 33 district and 17 sub-jails across the state.
Sources said additional chief secretary (home) Chaitanya Prasad had written a letter to all civic bodies to take up measurement work, earmark private properties around prisons and demolish them as these are security hazards.
When contacted, IG (prisons and correctional services) Mithilesh Mishra on Wednesday said there should be no private or commercial construction in the 50 metres radius of a central jail boundary, 30 metres of district jail and 20 metres of a sub-jail perimeter wall as per law over security concerns. “Only state or central government buildings are exempted,” he said.
Mishra said jail authorities in the districts have been asked to get measurement done by the civic bodies and then initiate action to demolish those structures. “We are receiving reports from prison authorities one by one,” he said.
He said either such constructions are illegal with no sanction from civic bodies or permitted unlawfully.
Beur jail sources said antisocial elements gather near the main entrance due to commercial establishments. “No one knows if anyone is an associate of a terrorist, Maoist or a dreaded criminal. Besides, residential houses are just adjacent to the periphery walls and anyone there can see our activities inside the jail,” a source said.
“Civic authorities allowed such constructions over decades. We hardly ever flagged the issue or lodged protest against such constructions,” he added.
