Coimbatore: In order to satisfy the inmates of the Coimbatore Central Jail, a new small scale open-air prison is being set up and agricultural works are underway.
Coimbatore: In order to satisfy the inmates of the Coimbatore Central Jail, a new small scale open-air prison is being set up and agricultural works are underway.
The Coimbatore Central Prison is one of the main prisons in Tamil Nadu. It was built by the British in the year 1872. Various freedom fighters including Semmal Va Chidambaranar have been sentenced to life in this prison.
There are over 1800 inmates in this prison with separate jails for men and women. An open prison under the Coimbatore Central Jail is in Ondipudur. Similar to that, a semi-open prison is to be set up at the Central Prison in Coimbatore.
Land preparation and agricultural activities are currently underway. Probation detainees benefit greatly from this excellent program of the Government. For this purpose, the farm is currently being cultivated by inmates on five acres of land.
Various crops including arai keerai, tomato, eggplant, beetroot, radish, ladies finger, drumstick and cluster beans are being cultivated. The Government has also announced that upto a hundred prisoners could be involved in these agricultural tasks. 23 inmates are currently working on the farm.
Moreover, inmates arrested in cases including murder, robbery, kidnapping and treason are not allowed here. A selection committee has been set up to select inmates in this program. Soon, 100 inmates will be engaged in these agricultural tasks.
Similarly, inmates engaged in agricultural activities are given 100 grams more food than other prisoners by the prison administration. Another major highlight is that the inmate's sentence has been reduced to half and the pay for their labour is kept in the prisoner's account.
Thus, the probation prisoners who engage in these agricultural activities are happy that the small open prison gives them new hope for their lives.