The Delhi Prisons officials on Saturday said that a ‘Poshan Mela’ will be celebrated throughout the month of September for over 5,00 female inmates lodged in jails of Tihar and Mandoli in order to sensitise and create awareness among them about the importance of having a nutritious diet.
According to prison officials, 399 women presently lodged in jail no 6 of Tihar and 163 women presently lodged in jail no 16 of Mandoli are part of the "Poshan Mela" initiative being celebrated by the Delhi Prisons.
The initiative was kick-started on Thursday at female jail no 6 of Tihar in association with National Commission for Women (NCW) where inmates were made aware about the value of nutritious diet through Power Point Presentation followed by speeches from members of the Commission, including Meeta Rajivlochan, IAS, Member Secretary NCW, a senior jail official said.
Special diet and fruits were also provided to the women inmates, he said.
“At the 'Poshan Mela', different stalls were arranged for children, lactating mothers, pregnant women and adults. They were explained about the importance of taking a nutritious diet at various stages during their pregnancy, menopause or in case they were anaemic,” said Sandeep Goel, the Director General of Delhi Prisons.
As per rules, children below six years are permitted to stay with their mother in the jail and according to a data shared by the Delhi Prisons, presently there are 17 such children who are staying with their mothers inside the two jails meant for women. Besides them, there are four pregnant women lodged in the two jails including one in Mandoli Jail.
Out of the 17, eight children are in Central Jail no 6 of Tihar while the remaining nine are presently in Central Jail no 16 in Mandoli, the data stated.
"The pregnant women and lactating mothers are given Special Diet in the Prison. They remain under constant medical supervision of the Jail lady doctor. Proper care is taken of the nutritional needs of the children too. There is a creche in each of these Jails for children. They very much like going there," said Goel.