Court directs Sikkim govt to establish dispensaries in jails

Sikkim High Court has directed the state government to establish dispensaries in the Central Jail at Rongyek in East Sikkim and South district prison at Namchi within a month.
The bench comprising Chief Justice S K Sinha and Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai directed the Sikkim government that the dispensary may be established at such a place in the jail premise so that inmates can safely access it for medical treatment at any time.
The court has granted four weeks time to the state to establish such dispensaries and file a report in this regard.
Chapter V and Chapter XIII of the Sikkim Prison Manual, 2010 provide for medical facilities for inmates within jail campus with dispensary, resident doctor and nursing staff and medical facilities to be given to women prisoners within the campus.

The high court has, in its September 16 order, also taken serious note of the affidavit filed by the state police department and said although provisions of Jail Manual stipulate that there should be a dispensary in each jail, the said facility was totally lacking in the two state jails.
The division bench also observed that the court is aware of the fact that construction of separate dispensary along with all infrastructures would take some time and directed the government to establish temporary dispensary in both the jails.
The bench also sought information about facilities provided to mentally challenged prisoners, undertrials or convicts since 2011.