CHENNAI/CUDDALORE:Jail inmates across the State began clean-up operations at State-run institutions away from their prisons, on Sunday.
As part of the Prisons Department’s clean-up initiative, lifers with good records were taken to hospitals and other institutions at various places. After cleaning school premises and primary health centres in and around Puzhal area, 31 prisoners headed to the Cardiology Department at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, as part of their weekly assignment.
“The project, which was started last month, will bring a sense of social responsibility to these prisoners. Again, social acceptance is more important for these people as they are facing criminal charges. This kind of social work will change the mindset of the general public, who otherwise look at them as convicts,” said the medical officer of Puzhal Prison.
“Every Sunday, these people will be given such tasks. They had also cleaned up school premises, primary health centres in and around Puzhal, thanks to them, these places now look neat and clean. We selected only prisoners with good conduct and those who volunteered for the task. In fact, many of them are enthusiastically participating in the programme every week,” said an official at Puzhal prison. The volunteers were entrusted with the task of cleaning and swabbing the floors in the Cardiology department. It took them about two hours to clean the entire premises and they will be visiting the hospital next Sunday as well to continue their work, the official added. Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) J K Tripathy was one of the officials behind this initiative, according to the prison officials.
Similarly, 55 Cuddalore Central Prison inmates carried out clean-up work at the Government Printing Press and also at the Ceramics College in Vriddhachalam on Sunday. Inmates of Cuddalore central jail had been doing cleaning work at various public places in the district after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘Clean India’ campaign a few months ago. So far, the jail inmates have cleaned up the Collector’s office premises, Cuddalore court complex, Anna stadium, Cuddalore headquarters government hospital, Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation godowns, Thittagudi government hospital, Thittagudi taluk office and Cuddalore Circuit House campus.
Cuddalore Prison Superintendent A Murugesan said, “The prisoners are happy to clean up public offices and places as they are being appreciated by the people and officials. Many prisoners are coming forward to do this work.” Collector S Suresh Kumar and other district-level officers appreciated the inmates for their service.
Similar drives are to be undertaken by select prison inmates from Vellore, Salem, Coimbatore and other prisons after requisite protection and permission protocols are put in place.