
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After serving people through its jail kitchens, the department of prisons and correctional services is now looking to do something even grander: feeding jumbos.
The department is planning to grow Hybrid Napier CO5 grass, a cross between elephant grass and bajra grass, on 40 acres of land on the Nettukaltheri open prison campus – it is being cultivated on 10 acres of the prison land at present – and sell it to the Kottoor elephant sanctuary that is located 4km away and houses 16 jumbos. At present, the cultivated grass is given as fodder to the livestock reared by the inmates and sold outside to farmers.
Prison sources said preliminary discussions were held between the forest and prison departments and the project is expected to take off by April once it gets final approval.
Ajith Singh, agricultural officer of the open prison, said the project is the brainchild of Prisons Director General Balram Kumar Upadhyay. “The objective is to fully explore the potential of the open prison, which has got 474 acres of land,” he said.
The execution will be in four phases, and the final phase will see cultivation being extended to 40 acres with the aim provide 2,500kg of grass daily to the jumbo sanctuary. “In the first year, our plan is to provide 500kg of grass daily. We will gradually raise the supply to 2500kg per day,” Ajith said.
Sources said grass for Kottoor elephants is currently being purchased for `16 per kg. The prison officials said they can provide the grass at a reduced rate. “We can provide the grass at Rs 6-7 per kg. The sanctuary lies about 4 km from the prison and we can transport the grass daily. None can match our price as the entire work is done by prisoners,” said a source.
Works on slurry distribution, irrigation and fencing are on at the prison to facilitate cultivation. The fencing aims to ward off wild animals that destroy crops.
Napier grass is a water-intensive crop and hence the impact of summer on it is a concern. However, the open prison has a check-dam, which authorities feel can be used to manage the situation effectively.
Top officials feel the business will reach break-even within a few months and said the profit will go to the Prison Development Fund.