Soon, jailbirds to get company of winged creatures in prisons

LUCKNOW: Hardened criminals languishing in jails will soon have birds for company.

Courtesy a state prison department initiative, birds like sparrows, parrots, crows, peacocks, eagles and pigeons will get shelter, food and water on the premises of jails across the state, confirmed an official.

The plan is part of the initiative to promote conservation of birds that are fast becoming extinct. Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav had also raised concern over the depleting number of birds, recently.

Brainchild of prison minister Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, the initiative has already been launched in Gautam Buddha Nagar district jail located in Noida. Here, special zone has been created for sparrows.

“The jail administration has erected wooden panels to motivate the sparrows to set their nest. There will be no spraying of pesticide in this zone and in view of the simmering summer, adequate arrangement of water has been made in the area, as well,” said an official.

Talking to HT, Ramoowalia said, “The huts and mud houses in which sparrows and other birds used to make nest are fast paving way for concrete jungle in cities as well as rural areas. There has been considerable fall in the population of sparrows and hence I have decided to conserve sparrows and other birds in the prisons.”

The state has 66 district jails, 5 central jails, 1 model jail, 1 juvenile jail and 1 women’s jail. All the jails have large premises that include orchards, fields, buildings and barracks.

“The prison officers have been directed to promote the conservation of birds. The under trials would be also motivated to join save sparrow/bird campaign,” he said.

“The prisoners who joins the bird conservation programme would be exempted from labour and routine work. We will also reward those who excel in bird conservation,” Ramoowalia said.