IMPHAL, February 22: Although Manipur has become the first North-Eastern state to have reform centre, the prolonged administration hiccup being faced by the jail authority due to absence of a permanent Superintendent has come to the forefront again.
Dwelling into this aspect IFP conducted an investigation of the only two remaining jail of the state, Manipur Central Jail Sajiwa and Imphal Central Jail.
Currently, the post of SP Jail is lying vacant since the former SP IK Muivah was promoted to Deputy Inspector General of Police on February 14.
Interacting with some of the staffs of both the jails, many expressed their disappointment on the step motherly treatment meted out by the Government.
They confided that the department itself has become the punishment posting ground of other unit officers of the Manipur police with no full time SP of its own.
“Since the transfer of former SP his post has been lying vacant for 8 days now but no immediate temporary arrangement is made so far”, said a staff under the condition of anonymity.
It has been informed that this was not the first time the jail authorities have to deal with such a situation but a periodical ‘phenomenon’ which will continue to haunt them.
There is one additional SP each in both the jails, despite this fact there is no provision enabling the additional handed over the charge of SP in his absence. Instead the authorities have to wait for replacement no matter how long the process takes, further lamented staffs.
“Currently we are facing a hard time not only administratively but also in daily functioning due to the absence of an SP”, said a junior staffs.
With no separate policy for welfare and promotion of the Jail, the staff reportedly submitted a service rules for officers with the Home department but the presentation has since stuck with the office of the Principle secretary (Home).
The additional SP of Jail is equivalent to the additional SP of other unit of Manipur Police, but in the absence of such promotional policy the two (current) additional SPs who were promoted in 2008 has limited their options for promotion to SP.
At the same time, those officers who were promoted to additional SP in 2008 have been promoted to SP, revealed the sources.
It may be noted that Manipur is one of the state that is using the Assam Jail Manual even as most of the jail across the country has adopted the new model jail model.