Andhra new jail manual: Prisoners to get Idly, Vada, Dosa; No decision yet on mangalsutra right

U Sudhakar Reddy
Prisoners in the jails across the state have
something to cheer with the new jail manual to introduce idly,vada,
dosa for the breakfast. So far only rice based food like kichdi, lemon
rice is served in the prisons during mornings.

AP Prisons Department Inspector General Mr. B Sunil Kumar said,”We are
going introduce fruits in the menu of the prisoners. A plantain will
be given along with the breakfast. The new jail manual will be
functional in the next two months. A committee is formed and we are
working on the manual. All amendments which were brought in all these
years in the form of government orders are added and some of the
undesired sections are deleted,” Almost after 34 years the prison
rules are revised. New chapters on role of Deputy Superintendets of
Prisons and DIGs will also be introduced.
The new jail manual will also have improved diet for the prisoners.
Government already increased the daily wages for the prisoners from Rs
10 to Rs 70 for skilled and Rs 50 for semi skilled and Rs 30 per day
for general workers.
“In some states it is Rs 99 per day and in some it is still Rs 20 per
day. We are moderately placed. Based on inflation and price rise we
will think over it,” said Mr B Sunil Kumar.
Prison department is yet to take a decision on Mangalstura right for
women prisoners which were a long pending issue. IG Sunil Kumar said
,”We will discuss on mangulstra for the women prisoners. We may allow
only an ordinary ‘pasupu tadu’(sacred yellow thread) in the new jail
manual. This has to be decided after throught discussions,” AP Prison
rules framed in 1979 are in vogue now.
There is ambiguity in the existing prison rules regarding wearing of
mangalsutra. While the rules generally allow female prisoners to wear
mangalsutras and nose rings in jail, they also insist that inmates
should not be allowed to keep valuables. Due this jail officials are
denying permission to women to wear mangalsutras.
In 2008 the then Home Minister Mr K Jana Reddy has assured in the AP
Legislative Council to amend the AP prison rules to allow women
inmates to wear mangulstras and nose rings in jail when MLCs protested
that mangulstra is sacred for Indian women and removing it was
tantamount to an insult to them.