Koraput: It’s a common perception that jails are punishment houses where criminals are tortured and beaten up to change their criminal activities and bring change in them.
However, the Koraput Circle Jail presents a different picture.
Instead of being termed as a punishment house, the jail seems more like a skill development centre with all kinds of skills being imparted to the inmates. The jail authorities here focus on making the prisoners self-reliant and help them channelize their time and energy towards positive contribution to the society. The aim is to make the convicts skilled enough so that they can lead a decent life with self-respect after walking out of the prison.
Established in 1908, the Koraput Jail has the capacity to house 519 inmates. However, the jail currently houses 636 inmates including females. While unskilled prisoners are engaged in sweeping, gardening, night watch and wall guard with an incentive of Rs 40 per day, others are being trained in different skills.
The prisoners are engaged in many skillful activities including fabrication unit, weaving, gardening and making paper bags. The inmates also grow organic vegetables that are sold to people at the jail’s retail counter. The demand for organic tomatoes, beans, brinjals, cabbages, green chillies and leafy vegetables are in high demand among people.
In the fabrication unit, inmates are making various household items like almirah, rice containers, utensils stands, wall hangers and trunks of different sizes. Similarly, prisoners at the weaving unit manufacture handloom items like bedsheets, pillow covers, screens, towels, fabric pieces, handkerchiefs, aprons, salwar suits and sarees.
The upholstery items are procured by the Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital and School and Mass Education Department.
When contacted, Jailor Lalatendu Bhusan Dash said the focus is on making the jail a correction home instead of a punishment home.
“We have proposed to open a dairy unit and the proposal has been sent to the IG prison for approval. Similarly, there is another proposal for installing a power loom unit,” Dash said.
PNN
