You have always maintained that the security of jails in Maoist-affected areas would be tightened but not much has been done in this regard. Can you tell us how far has the work progressed?

In nearly 38 jails of the Maoist-affected regions, we are carrying out fortification work such as construction of watchtowers, barbwire fencing, barracks for the forces and lighting arrangements. Work is progressing smoothly. We have also given a proposal to the state government to deploy one platoon each of Orissa Special Armed Forces (OSAP) at 18 other jails. The director general (of prisons) has also given a proposal for the creation of a battalion for jail security purposes.

Despite several security measures, there have been attacks on the Nayagarh and R. Udaigiri jails in the past.

The attacks took place in 2006 and at that time, the concept of jail security was not really there. No police force used to guard those jails. The warders used to perform very general security duty and were not equipped for meeting emergencies such as Maoist attacks.

The closed-circuit television cameras are a major component in security system. How many jails in the state are equipped with this facility?

I am not sure about the exact number but nearly 16 jails have CCTV cameras and this facility would be extended to all jails in the state within the next three or four years. Video-conferencing systems are also functioning in three jails in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Berhampur and would be put in place in five other jails by the end of this year.

When do you plan to install network jammers in all the jails?

We have a target of installing jammers at eight jails by the end of this year. We have already completed the work at Choudwar jail in Cuttack and Jharpada jail in Bhubaneswar. At present, we are fixing the jammers at Baripada, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Balangir.

It has often been alleged that some gangsters are operating from inside the jail in collusion with prison employees. How are you planning to deal with this?

Apart from the police, the jail staff also conduct raids and have seized mobile phones from prisoners. One of the very common sources is people residing in the slum areas around the jails. They throw mobile phones and other stuff into the jails which help the prisoners keep in touch with the outside world.

But are you monitoring the activities of your jail employees who are also alleged to be part of this?

Yes. Take the case of the prisons at Chhatrapur, Aska or Bhanjanagar. Whenever we have recovered mobile phones or other suspicious objects from inside the jail, we have taken stern action against the jail superintendent, warder, head warder and others who were on duty.

Jail employees had recently gone on a hunger strike over various demands. Although the matter has been resolved, is discontentment still there?

They had 12 demands such as equalisation of salary with police constables, payment of 13 months’ salary in a year, raising monotonous allowance and allowance for duty in jails located in Naxalite areas. The government is favourably considering the salary and allowances part since the jail staff do not avail public holidays. We are now discussing whether or not to issue personal weapons to jail superintendent and warders.

There are just 2,000 jail employees for 14,000 prisoners. Has the manpower crunch affected your work?

Yes, manpower crunch has affected our work. There are 400 vacancies in the rank of warders which would be filled up within two months.

Small scale industries are operating from almost all prisons. Convicts are engaged in various activities. On a daily average, how much are they paid?

The small scale industries have been established in 22 jails, mostly in district and circle jails, where convicts engage themselves in these activities. This opportunity is not available at sub-jails. The government has also increased their incentive from Rs 10 or 12 to Rs 40 now per eight hours of work. Generally, the products are used for our departmental consumption. A part of it is also sold in the market.

The Biju Patnaik Open Air Ashram at Jamujhari in Khurda district was a success of the state government. Are more such open air jails in the offing?

We have already started construction of an open air jail in Sambalpur district near Jujumara area. There are proposals to set up three more such jails. We have applied for land at Jaleswar (Balasore), Sundergarh and Berhampur.

The state has only one jail exclusively for women prisoners — Naribandi Niketan in Sambalpur. Any plans in this regard?

At the moment, there are no such proposals but there are positive chances to establish an exclusive prison for women in future.

What would you have been had you not been an IPS officer?

I was actually working as a geologist in Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC). I would have continued with that profession had I not been an IPS officer. It had always been my dream to enter the civil services and I was preparing myself for it since my school days. When I was studying at the Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, I appeared for the civil service examinations in 1987. I qualified for the Customs and Central Excise but did not take it up. I joined the ONGC instead. In 1988, I reappeared for the exam and got recruited under police services.

From geologist to a cop

Instrumental in resolving the recent state-wide hunger by jail employees, 47-year-old Pranabindu Acharya is the inspector general (IG) of prisons. He completed his matriculation from Angul High School and Plus Two science from BJB College, Bhubaneswar. He pursued his graduation in Geology from Ravenshaw College, Cuttack.

Acharya then moved to the Indian School of Mines (ISM) in Dhanbad for pursuing his master’s degree in science technology. He was a gold medallist in his batch. He also holds an MPhil degree in engineering geology from the same institute.

He appeared for the civil service examinations in 1987 and qualified for the customs and central excise services but did not take it up. He took the exam again in 1988 and got selected for police services. In between these two exams, he worked as a geologist with the Oil and Natural Gas Commission.

During his training in Hyderabad, he was awarded the Bhubanananda Mishra trophy as second best probationer of the 1989 IPS batch.

Acharya has held important posts such as SP-vigilance of Balasore and Sambalpur, deputy inspector general-intelligence of Cuttack, and other key positions before taking over as the IG-prisons in July last year. He received the Indian Police Medal for meritorious service from the President of India in 2006.