Shillong, April 21: The Meghalaya High Court on Thursday observed that the Shillong district jail is over-congested with 300 percent occupancy. It asked the government to expeditiously come up with a temporary additional facility to house the inmates and decongest the jail.

Hearing a PIL on the matter, the division bench said that it appears that measures have been taken by the state to improve the conditions in the correctional homes but there appears to be a 300 percent occupancy at the correctional home at Shillong.

“The State has to take adequate steps to ensure that an alternative to the present correctional home at Shillong is ready as expeditiously as possible. A temporary additional facility may also be explored,” the court said.

At any rate, it is completely unacceptable that there will be a correctional home with 300 per cent occupancy, it further added.

The court was also informed that in addition to the five correctional homes which already exist at Shillong, Tura, Williamnagar, Nongpoh and Jowai, a sixth correctional home is under construction at Nongstoin in addition to a Central Correctional Home coming up near Shillong.

The next hearing will be held on June 6.