THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Gone are the days when a visitor meeting a convict in prison would have to converse in a jail-like setting, with a grilled barricade separating them. Now they can sit across each other, speaking face to face over a phone with just a glass barrier separating them. These cabins matching international standards became operational at the Central Prison in Poojapura on Wednesday.
Along with that, a prisoners’ information kiosk and a poultry farm were also inaugurated by Jail DGP Rishiraj Singh. The DGP said that two more petrol pumps run by the convicts will be opened in the state soon -- at the Attakulangara Women’s Prison and the Ernakulam District Jail in Kakkanad. “We want to increase the number of activities for the prisoners who are already convicted. Jails are correctional service centres. For the welfare of the convict, what can be done is to increase the possibilities for him to create economic activities so that he can earn money and send it home to take care of his family,” Singh said.
Touching upon the bevy of activities in jails for convicts such as running petrol pumps, cafeteria, salons, pioneering organic agriculture and apparel making, the Jail DGP said convicts are able to earn Rs 8,000 to Rs 12,000 a month benefiting their family members.
“Such activities are being pioneered in Kerala. No state is allowing convicts to give away petrol. Only in Kerala can you see convicts tending petrol. And soon, when the petrol pump at the Attakulangara Women’s Prison opens, women convicts would be tending petrol,” he said, after inaugurating the poultry farm at the Poojapura Central Prison. The model visitor’s room and visitor communication system opened at the Central Prison has 10 cubicles.
“The visitor’s room and communication system have been implemented based on international standards and in a way that respects the privacy and rights of convicts. Earlier, they had to meet across a grilled barricade that was prevalent during olden times,” said N S Nirmalanandan Nair, jail superintendent.
The cabins will be under CCTV surveillance and coffee vending machines have also been set up. The poultry farm sheds set up in the prison will be used to supply broiler chicken to the food-making unit of the prison. “We may not be able to become self-sufficient by this, but it’s a step towards meeting our needs and reduce our dependency on the external market. We can also ensure that good quality hormone-free chicken is provided to the food-making unit,” the jail superintendent pointed out. The new prisoner information kiosk will help convicts get all the information pertaining to their cases by inputting their thumbprint.