Lucknow, Jan 2 : The Uttar Pradesh Prisons Department has decided to ban visitors to meet inmates in view of the increasing number Covid-19 cases in the state. The Department had allowed visitors to meet jail inmates on August 16 after suspending visits on March 24, 2020, due to Covid-19. Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Avanish Awasthi has instructed Covid-19 testing and inoculation for both undertrials and convicts. All guidelines such as wearing of masks and sanitization must be followed inside prisons, he said. Awasthi further said that temporary prisons must be set up for 14-day quarantine of new inmates, adding that all hearings must be through video conferencing. Efforts must be made for minimum physical presence of undertrials on court premises, he noted. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has asked officials to ensure minimum contact between prisoners till the Covid situation normalises. Officials of the Etah and Barabanki jails where inmates have tested positive, were directed to ensure check-ups in the prisons and adherence to safety protocols. /IANS