Governor Expresses Doubt over Govt's Move to Release 594 Prisoners

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Aug 3: Governor H R Bhardwaj has expressed hesitation over B S Yeddyurappa regime’s proposal to release 594 prisoners, who have shown good conduct and behaviour over the years, on the eve of the 64th Independence Day, according to prisons and horticulture minister Umesh V Katti.

The minister said the governor suggested that the government could recommend at the most 25 to 50 prisoners, who had shown exemplary conduct and thereby proved that their release could not be a threat to society.

Normally, long-term prisoners and life-termers known for their exemplary conduct are released on the occasion of Republic Day and Independence Day based on the evaluation and recommendation of the state cabinet.

Katti indicated that he along with home minister Dr V S Acharya had met the governor a few days ago and submitted a list of 594 prisoners for release on the occasion of Independence Day.

The minister said the Governor also expressed serious reservations on the release of young prisoners from different jails on the ground that they would indulge in crime soon after the release.

Katti said the government has decided to hire the services of 400 private security personnel from August 1 to guard 12 jails and prevent illegal activities as also to install jammers to prevent use of mobile phones by prisoners inside jails.

The jails that received private security personnel are: Parappana Agrahara Central Jail, Bangalore (110 personnel) and central jails of Belgaum (30), Bellary (40), Bijapur (22), Gulbarga (30), Mysore (64), Dharwad (20), district jails of Hassan (14), Madikeri (10), Mangalore (24), Tumkur (24 and Mandya (12).

The security would be deployed to guard jails from the outside. Each security personnel would be paid monthly salary of Rs 7,412. Services of private security personnel would be hired for a year or till the appointment of guards.

"Horticulture University Attracting Foreign Students"

The newly-formed University of Horticultural Sciences (UHS), Bagalkote, has succeeded in attracting students from abroad for post-graduate and doctoral programmes within two years of its establishment, said prisons and horticulture minister Umesh V Katti.

Students from third world countries like Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Burundi, Malawai and Rwanda have enrolled in the university, which was started in 2008 for post-graduate and doctoral degree programmes.
     
Apart from UHS of Bagalkote, the minister said that there were only two horticultural universities in the country, in Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.

Foreign nationals have registered in the university and they have been sponsored under the central government quota. In total, 920 students are pursuing their BSc and MSc (horticulture) in the current academic year.  A total of 68 students enrolled for post-graduation studies, including 15 Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) students from all over the country, he said.

Katti said the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, has handed over Arabhavi, Bidar and Bagalkote colleges while University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, has handed over Mudigere College to UHS, Bagalkote, to carry out teaching.

There were nine colleges and one post-graduate centre working in the state under the jurisdiction of UHS. A sum of Rs 12 crore would be released for taking up various development works in the university campus in 2010-11, he said.

UHS has entered into a memorandum of understanding with A and M University, Texas, for implementing various programmes in the field of education and research in horticulture. Similarly, action is being taken to enter into MoUs with the UAS, Bangalore and Dharwad, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessarghatta, for taking up coordinated programmes in teaching and research, he said.

Stating that 187 teaching vacancies existed in the UHS, the minister said 518 non teaching posts have been sanctioned, of which 273 posts have been filled up and 357 posts are vacant. Steps would be taken soon to fill all vacancies, he added.