Himalayan News Service

Dhankuta, March 2:

The overcrowding in Dhankuta jail has led to a number of problems. Shortage of rice, edible oil, salt and drinking water, were some of the perpetual problems. But now four of the inmates are suffering from tuberculosis (TB).

And the rest of the inmates are terrified of catching it too, though TB is not contagious. The prison meant to hold 25 inmates, is at the moment accommodating 51 persons: 38 inmates and 13 detainees. Two of the inmates are females. The original prison building was destroyed in the earthquake of ‘89.

The building that is being passed off as the district jail is actually the district court, which was converted to work like a prison.

The lack of space compels the inmates to sleep in turns, according to Prem Bahadur Tamang, a inmate who’s been living in such dreary conditions in a single room for the past eight years.

And right now they are frightened of catching TB, too, as they have to share their living quarters with the four suffering from TB.