Reading initiative at Salem Prison completes 25 weeks
The Valluvar Vasagam Vattam initiative to rehabilitate prisoners and alter their negative perceptions of society was launched in September 2023 with 20 convicts
The Valluvar Vasagar Vattam (reading circle), an initiative by Salem Central Prison for the rehabilitation of prisoners, has completed its 25th week.
The prison department has undertaken various initiatives for prisoner rehabilitation. One such initiative, the Valluvar Vasagam Vattam, was established six months ago in September 2023 within Salem Central Prison.
This program involved 20 convicts with commendable conduct records and a penchant for reading. These individuals select books from the prison library containing social messages, emphasizing self-condence, and are recognised by esteemed literary bodies such as the Sahitya Akademi, Jnanpith, and the Tamil Nadu state government. They undertake to read these selected works entirely within a week and subsequently gather every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. to discuss the messages conveyed by the books.
G. Vinoth, the Superintendent (in-charge) of Salem Central Prison, stated that the primary objective of this initiative is to rehabilitate prisoners and alter their negative perceptions of society. Every Saturday, these 20 participants convene in the presence of the prison superintendent, jailer, psychologist, and welfare ocer. The explanations provided by the prisoners about the books are broadcast live across all 15 blocks of Salem Central Prison and the 15 sub-jails falling under its jurisdiction in Salem, Namakkal, Dharmapuri, and Krishnagiri districts.
The books selected for discussion are sourced from the prison library, which boasts a collection of 6,000 volumes. Last Saturday, April 20, marked the completion of the 25th week for this reading circle.
“We have identied 10 prisoners out of the 20 who eectively summarized the essence of the books. On behalf of the prison administration, we have provided books and plastic buckets to them,” added Mr. Vinoth.
We have identied 10 prisoners out of the 20 who eectively summarized the essence of the books
Superintendent (in-charge)
Police removed a group of 95 farmers, including 11 women, who were protesting for the second consecutive day on the Collectorate premises demanding the release of water in the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) canal.
On Monday evening, members of Keel Bhavani Pasana Pathukappu Iyakkam gathered at the District Treasury building on the Collectorate’s premises, where the oce of the Superintending Engineer of the Water Resources Department (WRD) was located, to protest against the poor water management by the WRD. They claimed that the farmers who had cultivated crops in 1,03,500 acres of land in Erode, Tiruppur, and Karur districts were suering as water was not released in the canal until May 1, 2024, as per the government order. Despite the efforts of WRD ocials to calm them down, the protestors continued their demonstration throughout the night.
On Tuesday, senior ocials of the department and Additional Superintendent of Police (ADSP) K. Balamurugan held talks with the farmers. The farmers, however, continued to press for water release and sought action against WRD ocials for their mismanagement. They also demanded the arrest of WRD. The police removed them in police vehicles and lodged them at a marriage hall.
Meanwhile, a press release from the Executive Engineer of Lower Bhavani Basin Division, Erode, said that water storage in the dam used to be 17.09 tmc on January 5 every year while in§ow would be 7.55 tmc between February and April. “Due to poor rainfall, the dam has received only 2.95 tmc during February and April this year which is a shortage of 4.60 tmc,” the release said.