The semi-open air jail set up on the premises of the Coimbatore Central Prison is now witnessing a flurry of activities ranging from cultivation of vegetables to rabbit farming, all by the inmates.
For the semi-open air jail, a five acre land inside the central prison campus was readied by the inmates where vegetables such as bottle gourd, ridge gourd, ladies finger, spinach and brinjal are cultivated.
In addition, the prisoners are also growing mushroom and taking care of a fish pond, rabbit farm and nurturing a few colonies of honeybees kept in boxes. Around 4,000 hatchlings were released in the pond a month ago.
G. Shanmuga Sundaram, Deputy Inspector General of police, Prisons, (Coimbatore range), said that the semi-open air jail was introduced for the rehabilitation, well-being and skill development of inmates, as per the directions of the Department.
Prison inmates engaged in farm work and rabbit farming (right) at the Coimbatore Central Prison. Special Arrangement
Waste segregation
He said that waste segregation was fully implemented in the prison and the biodegradable waste was converted into manure through vermicompost tanks and used for farming.
Green cover
Mr. Sundaram said that the Department was also expanding the green cover on the prison campus and distributing saplings to those released after conviction or remand period.
“We have been distributing saplings to those released from 13 sub-jails in Coimbatore rage comprising Coimbatore, the Nilgiris, Erode and Tiruppur. The initiative will be soon launched in the Central prison too for which a nursery has been set up,” he said.
According to R. Krishnaraj, Superintendent of Coimbatore Central Prison, around 12,000 saplings were planted under Miyawaki method inside the campus.
Mr. Sundaram added that the Department would take up sugarcane cultivation on 1.3 acre in the open air jail at Ondipudur to meet the requirements for Pongal next year. The open air prison has about 900 coconut palms and the Department was into production of three types of vegetable oils that was sold through the prison bazaar on Dr. Nanjappa Road.
While male prisoners are engaged in field works, female inmates are involved in the making of bakery items, traditional snacks and incense sticks among others. The central prison is planning to take part in a tender to supply bread to Government hospitals as done by the central prisons in Tiruchi, Palayamkottai and Puzhal.