Inmates at Tanahun jail are facing difficulties as a result of water shortages. Despite the prison’s daily requirement of 35,000 liters, only 20,000 liters are currently being supplied.
The jailor, Narayan Adhikari, acknowledged that inmates are experiencing difficulties due to a water shortage. He stated that water is sourced by digging wells along the Madi River banks. However, with the river depth increasing and well water levels decreasing, the overall water supply has been adversely affected. Now the only option is to dig a new well to increase the water supply. He mentioned that although the water shortage isn’t a major issue in winter, it could become a significant problem in the upcoming summer. Therefore, he advised preparing to increase water supply during the winter for summer.
During the prison inspection, Chief District Officer Kamalraj Bhandari was briefed by the jailor about the immediate need to work on water management. Bhandari, stated that a letter addressing the water problem would be sent to the Department Of Prison Management and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The jailor, along with the INSEC representative on December 11, urged the relevant authorities to take notice of the water shortage after visiting to assess the prison’s conditions. The chief prison officer requested the assistance of the INSEC representative in drawing the attention of the concerned authorities to the issue of water shortage in the prison.
Despite the Tanahun Jail having a capacity for 20 women and 114 men, it currently accommodates 22 women and 280 men, totaling 320 prisoners. The jailor reported that the women’s prison currently houses three girls along with their mother. Among the inmates, 86 are involved in rape cases, followed by 56 in drug-related offenses, 53 in killing cases, 27 in theft cases, and 19 in vehicular homicide cases.