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Fueling Hope For Jail Birds
![IMG_20230818_174650 (1) 26 women convicts with good conduct record run this fuel station at Puzhal, outside Chennai. The initiative aims to help them shed their stigma and reintegrate them into the society with skills they'd acquire here.](https://tellmystory.in/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/IMG_20230818_174650-1-scaled-e1692593467719-qb824gh3zvcthgikqxdzbhdd6qr4wxk6og43orrzpk.jpg)
In a first of its kind prison reformation in India, women convicts are operating a fuel station outside Chennai. Called “Freedom Filling Station” 26 prisoners including a few life convicts serving at the Puzhal Central Prison have been offered this opportunity on the basis of their good conduct over the years.
An initiative of the Prisons Department, the idea is to expose these women to the outside world so they would shed their stigma and pick up a few new skills to be able to restart their lives once they are released. Speaking to tellmystory.in DGP Prisons Mr Amaraesh Pujari said “In a nutshell this initiative helps us in reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of these women into the mainstream of our society”.
These women underwent training to run this Indian Oil Corporation outlet and would receive a salary of six thousand rupees. Officials say this would soon be revised to ten thousand.
The women are escorted back to the prison after their 8 hour shift. Local people and travellers who drive into this fuel station love the idea. Amudha a Tailor says “This can happen to anyone. People commit a crime in a situation. This gives them a sense of freedom than being in jail 24 x 7”. Basheer, who works for a corporate said “This helps them to mentally get out of the convict label. We as public too will start looking at them empathetically and accept them”. He added “I’d come here every time to fill fuel and to motivate them”.
Over the years, Tamil Nadu Prisons department is known for a few pioneering initiatives including promoting reading and education among prisoners. A novel book collection drive at book fairs across the state had received more than a lakh books as donation from public. Another programme “Art in Prison” exposes them to art forms including music and drama. Through a counselling programme for first time young remand prisoners, authorities have ensured around ten thousand of them did not turn into habitual offenders. Many have completed school and higher education behind bars. Nalini Sriharan, who was convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case had acquired a post graduate degree in computer applications (MCA) in jail before she was released.
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