Agencies

The Centre has asked all states and union territories to set up at least one detention centre each with modern amenities for illegal migrants/ foreigners, so that they can be housed for longer periods and traced easily when deportation is legally ordered.A senior home ministry official told ET that the aim behind setting up more detention centres , besides addressing concerns over the lack of basic amenities at existing centres, is to restrict the movement of foreigners staying back illegally and thereby ensure that they are physically available at all times for expeditious repatriation or deportation.In the 11-page ‘2019 Model Detention Manual’, a copy of which has been seen by ET, the MHA has called for setting up of “one detention camp in the city or district where major immigration check post is located” and said that “all members (of a family) should be housed in the same detention centre”.“The powers to deport illegally staying foreign nationals have been entrusted under Article 258 (1) of the Constitution to state governments,” said the official, who requested anonymity.The development comes amid the exercise to finalise the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam , for which the Supreme Court has extended the deadline by a month to August 31.With several cases reported from other parts of the country where foreign nationals have been found to be staying illegally, the Bharatiya Janata Party has vowed to implement the NRC across the country and deport all illegal immigrants.“We want each state and union territory to set up at least one detention centre with all modern amenities,” a senior home ministry official told ET on condition of anonymity.As per the manual, states do not need specific approvals from the Union home ministry for setting up a detention or holding centre. “Every detention centre shall have a cell which will provide help to the detainee foreigners for contacting the concerned mission/embassy/consulate or their family through proper procedure,” it says.Seeking to allay concerns over the poor state of detention centres, the manual says that a “skill centre” and “crèche facilities for children” may be provided within the detention camp. The poor condition of detention centres, particularly in Assam, was first highlighted in a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by activist Harsh Mander before the Supreme Court.Further, observing that detention centres in most states were being run from prison, the home ministry has directed that detention centres or camps be set up outside jail premises.Nonetheless, the ministry has called for proper security measures so that illegal immigrants do not succeed in escaping from the detention centres.“A proper boundary wall with dense barbed wire fencing above the boundary wall should be erected. The boundary wall should be minimum 10 feet high with main gate, wicket gate and strict access control measures,” says the manual.The naming of these centres can be decided by the state government concerned, according to the manual.In Assam, where the draft NRC released last year left out around four million residents, there are only six detention centres, where more than 1,133 individuals declared foreign nationals have been detained. The highest number of declared foreigners are lodged at Tezpur (352), followed by Goalpara (267) and Jorhat (215), according to the home ministry.