Take steps to decongest Poojappura jail: SHRC
The Hindu
‘Operationalise Konni, Nedumangad facilities without delay’
The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has ordered the State Government to adopt steps to decongest the overcrowded Poojappura Central Prison by operationalising the proposed jails at Konni and Nedumangad without further delay.
Observing that the Poojappura jail currently accommodated 1,350 inmates, far beyond its capacity of 727 people, commission chairman Antony Dominic directed the Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services to submit a response before December 23. The case will be taken up for further hearing on December 29. The order has also been sent to the Additional Chief Secretary (Home).
Hampi, the UNESCO-recognised historical site, was the capital of the Vijayanagara empire from 1336 to 1565. Foreign travellers from Persia, Europe and other parts of the world have chronicled the wealth of the place and the unique cultural mores of this kingdom built on the banks of the Tungabhadra river. There are fine descriptions to be found of its temples, farms, markets and trading links, remnants of which one can see in the ruins now. The Literature, architecture of this era continue inspire awe.
Unfurling the zine handed to us at the start of the walk, we use brightly-coloured markers to draw squiggly cables across the page, starting from a sepia-toned vintage photograph of the telegraph office. Iz, who goes by the pronouns they/them, explains, “This building is still standing, though it shut down in 2013,” they say, pointing out that telegraphy, which started in Bengaluru in 1854, was an instrument of colonial power and control. “The British colonised lands via telegraph cables, something known as the All Red Line.”
The festival in Bengaluru is happening at various locations, including ATREE in Jakkur, Bangalore Creative Circus in Yeshwantpur, Courtyard Koota in Kengeri, and Medai the Stage in Koramangala. The festival will also take place in various cities across Karnataka including Tumakuru, Ramanagara, Mandya, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Hassan, Chitradurga, Davangere, Chamarajanagar and Mysuru.