Space crunch hits Prisons dept petrol pump plan

Hyderabad: Director General of Prisons VK Singh on Monday said the Telangana State Prisons Department is finding it difficult to set up more petrol pumps due to lack of space. Speaking to media persons, he said: “We could employ the prisoners for running the petrol pumps.

There are about 146 prisoners working at different petrol pumps and are earning a salary of Rs 12,000 per month. Due to lack of space in the State, we have not been able to come up with new petrol pumps.” He, however, was quite happy that the correctional methods being used in Telangana prisons have garnered appreciation.

“The correctional methods in practice are appreciated by the Central government and wanted jails in other States in the country should emulate Telangana jails which are aimed at reforming the prisoners," he said. Referring to new initiatives taken up by the prisons department, Singh said soon rooms would be constructed in jails for mulakats for prisoners. He said the department had planned to do away with the old system of mulakats.

“Earlier prisoners used to be allowed to meet their kin between the gate no 1 and gate no 2 for special mulakaat sessions. Now we would have special rooms for the prisoners where they can meet their family members peacefully,” he said. He said there would be guidelines for special mulakat sessions. Only if the kin who is coming to meet the prisoner is an elderly person or those who come with children could avail the facility, he added.