Poojappura Central Prison gets seeds, saplings

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Thanks to Horti Corp, vegetables of around seven varieties will grow on the premises of Central Prison Poojappura which would make the Prison ‘self-sufficient’ in vegetables. On Thursday, the Horti Corp distributed 750 poly bags with vegetable seeds to the Prison  and also 7,500 plantain saplings. Agricultural Minister K P Mohanan inaugurated the function, which was presided over by Horti Culture Mission Director Dr K Prathapan. The vegetables and plantain saplings were distributed as part of Horti Corp Mission’s  ‘Vegetables for the prosperity of land’ programme. It is a joint venture of the Mission in funding and providing technical assistance for vegetable farming with Rashtreeya Krishi Vikas Yogana. It was an attempt to make the Prison farm vegetables sufficient for the use of inmates.  Mohanan said the Government is intending to start a poultry farm and animal husbandry unit in the Prison. Prison Superintendent B Pradeep welcomed the gathering.  “The vegetables and chicken left after the use of inmates, would be used to make curries and will be sold along with the prison-made chapatis,” said Pradeep.  It was as part of the Prison Day celebrations that the new venture was started in the Prison. In the evening, the valedictory function of the celebrations was inaugurated by Shashi Tharoor MP, which was presided over by ADGP Prisons Alexander Jacob. Around 20 persons who retired from the Prison service from the post of DIG to the lower level were honoured at the function. It was the first time that such a function was held. Cine-Television artistes Yadu Krishnan and Sruthi Lekshmi were present on the occasion.   The Prison Day celebrations, which started on Tuesday, had a variety of other programmes. There was a comedy show by Mekkad Rajan on Tuesday. On Wednesday, a ‘Kaviyarangu’ that lasted for two hours took the inmates to another world. Eminent poets like Madhusoodhanan Nair, Vinayachandran, Murukan Kattakkada and Girish Puliyur led the programme. There was also a ‘Thayambaka’ performance by R S Gopikrishnan, who has won many prizes in school art festivals. The Prison, which has always initiated new ventures like chapati-making, has now another achievement to its credit - vegetable farming, which also is expected to be a huge success.