Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) - HT Navi Mumbai Live
Taloja jail set to save power, to be run on solar power
NAVI MUMBAI: The Taloja jail here is set to be the first central jail in the state to run completely on solar power.
In an effort to reduce energy expenditures, the Raigad collector’s office has allocated Rs 30 lakh for the installation of 280 solar poles inside and outside the jail, after which energy expenditures will be cut by 50%, a senior official said.
“If we are spending Rs3 lakh per month for electricity now, the amount will go down to almost Rs 1.5 lakh once this system is operational,” said Ashok Karkar, senior jailer.
“The project was started around 10 days ago and almost 90 solar panels have already been installed inside the jail. The remaining will be installed within the next month,” he said.
According to Karkar, each pole will have a solar plate and a light attached to it. The plate absorbs sunlight, transforming it into power. The light will be lit up with that power during the night.
To keep every inmate under surveillance, the jail needs to keep its premises lit for almost 15 hours a day. Power is also required for administrative purposes, in the barracks, and in the officers’ rooms.
“The task of dealing with inmates who have criminal backgrounds and keeping tabs on them 24x7 is not easy. We will be risking our jobs if we do not light up the premises properly, just to cut electricity expenses. This new system will help us get more power with less expense,” another officer said.
The jail can accommodate a total of 2,124 inmates. Presently, they have around 1,950. Over 60% are from the places like Mumbai, Thane and Kalyan. Several underworld gang members such as Chota Rajan, Ravi Pujari and Bharat Nepali are in this jail.
“We conduct various programmes for our inmates on a regular basis. It has been almost a year since we started a regular yoga session which we are still continuing. A few days ago, our inmates planted around 300 saplings and are now taking care of them,” Karkar said.