Bhubaneswar: Prisoners lodged in several jails in Odisha can now legally speak to their relatives over the phone as the Prisons Directorate, taking a cue from Tihar jail, has decided to launch Prisoners’ Calling System (PCS) in November this year.
The system, which will be introduced in Jharpada Special Jail here and Chaudwar Circle Jail on a pilot basis, will be implemented in other jails later.
Under the scheme, four booths including one for women prisoners will be opened at each of the two jails. The booths will have biometric system to record the thumb impression of the prisoner willing to call from the booth. Each inmate will be allowed to make calls to two phone numbers submitted by the prisoner earlier. The prison officials will verify the numbers before allowing the inmates to dial. Each inmate can talk for only 5 minutes by paying Rs 5. The call will be cut off automatically at the expiry of the duration.
The Prisons Directorate hopes to control the illegal use of mobile phones and landline numbers inside the prison with the introduction of the PCS in the state.
This apart, the directorate also plans to procure drones for enhanced surveillance inside the jails during 2022-23 financial year. The officials will keep a strict vigil on every activity inside the jail through the drone cameras.
The jails in the state will also have a video wall system too under which a large display with several video screens fixed together to form a ‘single logical screen’ for better surveillance of jails. It will be launched in a phased manner next year.
The directorate is also introducing cashless transactions in various jails in a passed manner. Inmates using smart cards will purchase goods from jail canteens as per the prescribed ceiling every month.
Sources at the Prisons directorate claimed that 20 body-worn cameras are being procured to be used in Jharpada and Choudwar jails on pilot basis.