Eastern Regional Jail, Jhumka, becoming a model

(Yam Pradhan)

Itahari, Dec 10: The Eastern Regional Jail, located at Ramdhuni Bhasi Municipality, the newly declared municipality in Sunsari district, is more than a conventional prison, with the inmates getting an opportunity to become an athlete along with acquiring knowledge, skills, generating income, musical relaxation as well as physical fitness.

As a result, change is being observed in the prisoners’ thinking and behaviour.  Traditionally a centre to house those involved in criminal activities as a punishment, this jail is now being developed as a training centre.

The jail has now been changed into a busy industry after 90 per cent inmates, out of 1,500 prisoners, are busy in capacity building and income generating trainings.

Established in 2066 BS, the jail was not only very dirty for lack of toilets and other physical infrastructure, it was the place for demanding ransom, inmates getting into physical fight and quarreling. It was also the junction of drug smugglers and drug abusers.

This model jail has been proved that a jail can be developed into a rehabilitation centre, said Chief of the Internal Administration Tara Nepal.

            Different activities related to sports, education, music and income generating training have now been launched in the jail. Anyone visiting the jail can feel the difference.

Academician Ram Rajdhami, who arrived in the jail for a musical programme said, “The jail has proved that change can be initiated from a small place.”

            Inmates, who were deprived of education, have now got opportunity to get the light of knowledge after an adult literacy class was initiated inside the jail. They have been getting opportunity of free education up to Grade 12.

Six B.Sc, four M.Sc and four BA degree holders are teaching in the jail.   

The inmates of the jail have also set up a musical band and called it the ‘Karmabad Band’.

Except these programmes, different language classes including English, Japanese, Korean and Hebrew are running in the jail targeting the inmates going for foreign employment at free of cost.

Tara Nepal said that the internal administration has been making maximum effort to produce capable human resource by making the inmates free from the problem of language needed in course of overseas employment.

Similarly, the jail is producing skilled athletes including an effort to establish a volleyball team. As many as 16 prisoners are taking volleyball training in a regular manner.

Nepal said the behaviour of inmates have proved that there would be a positive change if the prisoners are guided towards the right path.

Nepali Congress Itahari Town President Hem Karna Poudel, who is in the jail for investigation on the charge of holding a man captive, has played a remarkable role in the improvement of jail.

Likewise, the inmates are also engaged in skill-oriented training including handicraft. They have got opportunity to be self-reliant. RSS (Translated by Avilasha Pokhrel)