Channelling change, Kannur prison saves Rs 35 lakh on water bill

New Indian Express

4 hours ago

KANNUR: In the heart of Kannur, the central prison and correctional home has been channelling a silent revolution. And, what began as an effort to cut costs soon metamorphosed into a story of teamwork, innovation, and environmental leadership.
Till 2023-24, the prison used to pay dearly for water use. That fiscal year its water bill came to Rs 55.47 lakh. Then, in June 2024, authorities decided that change was in order. They set up a group, comprising jail officials, that conducted a comprehensive study and made changes to the distribution of water and management of well water. The activities of the Haritha Sparsham saw the facility's water bill drop to Rs 20.78 lakh in 2024-25, a saving of Rs 34.69 lakh over the course of a year.
'It was a collaborative effort of authorities and prisoners. It was a team effort,' a prison official said. 'In each block, a prisoner was given the job of managing the water, apart from official monitoring. This teamwork helped save large amounts of water. Distribution was implemented efficiently and in a controlled manner by accurately understanding water consumption in each location.'
Additionally, water from the prison kitchen was treated and reused for irrigating agricultural crops.
In the initial stage, when jail authorities approached government agencies for setting up a plant to treat wastewater they were given a cost estimate for around Rs 75 lakh. Rather than feeling discouraged, they sensed an opportunity.
Officials decided to construct a natural wastewater treatment plant, using raw materials available in the prison, such as sand, charcoal, gravel, and metal, without any financial burden to the department. Skilled inmates helped build the facility, which purifies the wastewater and adjusts it to a pH level of 6.5 before being used for irrigation. This initiative led to significant water conservation.