Burail Jail to be theme of city’s R-Day tableau

Ramkrishan Upadhyay
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 28 

The Chandigarh Administration has decided to showcase unique initiatives of the Model Burail Jail to the nation. The Administration is proposing a tableau based on the theme of Burail Jail for showcase at the Republic Day parade on Rajpath.

The Administration will submit its entry on the theme before the committee, which will select entries submitted by the states and the Union Territories.

Sources in the Administration said, "If selected it will be perhaps for the first time that a tableau based on jail will be shown on Rajpath. Many initiatives of Burail Jail have been hailed all over India."

Burail Jail is the first jail in the country where inmates prepare food for thousands of children of aaganwadis. All jail inmates have their bank accounts. Burail Jail has already been declared plastic free with the ban the use of plastic items on its premises. 

Instead of the traditional LPG cylinders about 60 per cent energy needed for cooking at jail is fulfilled by biogas plants. 

Burail Jail has its first exclusive outlet, Srijan, at Sector 22, Chandigarh, where all products made by jail inmates are sold. One can get a variety of items from furniture to food products at the outlet. The replica of the furniture designed by Le Corbusier is also attracting customers' world over. 

Besides, food prepared at jail is also available online. Anyone can place orders through the jail website and get food items prepared by prisoners delivered at doorstep. 

The Administration has also made it mandatory for departments to buy furniture prepared by inmates. At present, around 400 to 450 convicts are lodged at Burail Jail.