TIRUCHI
Brisk sale of sugarcane raised by a group of convicts on prison lands here was witnessed ahead of the Pongal festival. With the price of sugarcane offered by the Prison Department being cheaper than the ones sold in the open market, bulk sale was noticed with some buyers coming all the way from Chennai.
The edible variety of sugarcane, known as senkarumbu, was raised on two acre land belonging to the Prison Department within the sprawling Central Prison campus by a group of 12 convicts. The harvest of sugarcane was done a few days before the Pongal festival. An official serving in the Central Prison here said 16,400 sugarcanes were sold to the public from January 12 to 14. The amount realised through the sale of sugarcane in a matter of three days was about ₹ 3 lakh. The price fixed for each sugarcane was ₹ 18 for those buying in bulk, while it was fixed at ₹18 per sugarcane for loose sale.
The harvested sugarcanes were sold through the two Prison Bazaars functioning at the entrance of the Central Prison along the Tiruchi - Pudukottai national highway and at the Special Prison for Women at Gandhi Market area. Apart from these two places, they were also sold near K.K. Nagar bus stand and near Ponmalaipatti. The official said a group of small traders came all the way from Thiruverkadu, Poonamallee and Koyambedu in Chennai to buy sugarcanes raised by convicts. Some non-governmental organisations also purchased the sugarcanes for distribution free of cost to poor people. A portion of the amount realised through sale of sugarcanes would be given to convicts.
Apart from sugarcane, the convicts also raise various types of vegetables including brinjal, carrot, pumpkin, greens, radish and tomato on about 22 acres of lands belonging to the Prison Department. The Prison Bazaar which is run and managed by the convicts sells sweets and savouries, variety rice and bakery items.