Himachal prisoners to meditate to relieve stress

Shimla, Dec 1 Prisoners and inmates lodged in Himachal Pradesh's 14 prisons housing 2,909 inmates against the capacity of 2,437, will now practice meditation as part of welfare programmes launched on Thursday to address mental health issues.

To relieve the stress of the inmates who don't meditate, several meditation programme are regularly organised in different prisons, an official statement said.

However, to upscale the facility and services, it has been decided that in-house capacity of trainers be created so that the programmes of meditation are institutionalised.

An effort in this direction culminated in collaboration with Transcendental Meditation which will run a training of trainers programme in different jails and prisons where 1,187 inmates are facing charges under the NDPS Act, which is 40.8 per cent of the total occupancy.

Similarly, total 22.89 per cent inmates have committed crime against women.

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar launched programmes of the Department of Prisons and Correctional Services at Model Central Jail in Kanda near here.

Besides meditation, correctional services have been put in place for the inmates.

Prisoners and staff members of the Prisons Department are separated from their families and children, the former due to confinement and the latter due to their professional responsibilities.

This does not, however, take away their concerns for their children. To address these concerns of the parents, the BYJUS online courses under corporate social responsibility (CSR) have been arranged for them through Smile Foundation.

The department has rich library facilities in all its prisons. However, there are many inmates who may not be able to access them due to low literacy rate and lack of time and interest.

For them and for augmenting the library resources the department joined hands with the Hindustan Prachar Sabha to create a new audio Library which will be aired over Kaara Junction, the prison's radio channel.

The confines of prison walls do not suppress the inner talent of the inmates.

The poetry compilation 'Parvaaz' is a testimony to the statement. 'Parvaaz' is a collection of poems written by inmates.

For waste management, the Department of Prisons and Correctional Services has established first-of-its-kind waste management facility in Lala Lajpat Rai, District and Open Air Correctional Home in Dharamsala where inmates are producing indoor furniture from particles boards prepared by recycling of tetra packs.

The partners in this initiative are Waste Warriors.