Life convicts with good conduct to start farming

Inmates serving life sentence at city’s Tihar Jail, but only those with proven good conduct, are set to be trained in organic farming inside the prison complex. Jail authorities stress the initiative would help the convicts engage in a “meaningful manner.”

The plan includes construction of a greenhouse for which land and labour is available with the jail authorities. “We have planned organic farming by life convicts with proven good conduct at a vacant plot of land measuring around 1.5-2 acre inside the prison complex to deploy them in meaningful and creative activity,” Tihar DIG and public relations officer Mukesh Prasad said.

There are around 35 life convicts in Tihar, whose conduct after 12 years of imprisonment has been found to be good by the prison committee and who have now been shifted to a quarter used as a semi-open jail in the prison complex. Authorities said these inmates would be engaged in organic farming under the guidance of experts, who would train them in growing vegetables and other farm products in a greenhouse.

The idea to engage them in organic farming was borne out of the growing popularity of vegetables and fruits produced in a natural way without use of chemicals. Such vegetables and other products have a demand in the markets outside the jail.

Mr Prasad said the inmates working as organic farmers would earn wages from their work and the money earned through sale of the vegetables and fruits produced by them would also be used for the welfare of Tihar prisoners.

The initiative is aimed at providing inmates an opportunity to reform and rehabilitate. Convicts released prematurely stand a good chance of channelising their energy in a positive direction and smoothly adapt to the life outside jail, the DIG added.