Media Release
Mangaluru, Mar 15: St Aloysius (Deemed to be University) Mangaluru, in association with the district legal services authority, Mangaluru, organised a 120-days training course in ‘Integrated Agriculture and Organic Farming Methods’ for the inmates of the district prison, Mangaluru from October 2, 2023 to January 31, 2024.
The training was mainly intended for the transformation, rehabilitation and skill development of the trainees and to prepare them for a dignified living after their release.
The convocation ceremony to distribute the diploma certificates was held on March 11 in the jail premises. The programme commenced with a prayer song by Bharathi, Warder. Obaleshappa, jail superintendent, gave the welcome address and explained the significance of the event. Prof Edmund Frank, the course organiser, explaining about the course said, the training sessions were practical-oriented and covered areas which included preparing the soil for cultivation, propagation of plants using quality seeds, cuttings, and grafting, growing vegetables, agricultural crops and fruit yielding plants, terrace and kitchen gardening, preparing vermi-compost and organic manure, mushroom cultivation, aquarium fish rearing and use of organic pesticides.
Ravindra M Joshi, honorary PRL district and sessions judge, Mangaluru, inaugurated the programme and in a ceremonious setting unfurled the marble plaque of the stage sponsored by Prof Edmund Frank in the presence of all the dignitaries. Addressing the gathering, he complimented the organisers for organising this useful course which will extensively benefit the trainees.
Bishop Dr Peter Paul Saldanha presided over the function. Shoba B G, senior CJ and member secretary, district legal services authority, Mangaluru, Dr Alwyn D’Sa, registrar, St Aloysius (Deemed to be University) Mangaluru and Dr Francis Kodian, MCBS, co-founder and national coordinator, Prison Ministry India, Bengaluru, were chief guests. B T Obaleshappa, Bharat Nayak assistant. commandant, KSISF and Prof Edmund Frank, were on dais along with other dignitaries.
The diploma certificates were distributed to 31 trainees by the bishop Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, Ravindra M Joshi, honorary PRL. District and sessions judge, Shoba B G, Dr Alwyn D’Sa and Dr Francis Kodian respectively. After which they addressed the gathering. In his presidential address, the bishop congratulated the trainees and told the inmates that some of them might be innocent. Prison life though it curtailed their independence, when they are released, they should forget all ill feelings and come out with a clean conscience and God’s blessings and guidance would be with them.
Lava Kumar, warder was the Master of ceremonies. Rajendra Kapade, jailer proposed the vote of thanks.
The programme was organised under the auspices of Dr Praveen Martis SJ, vice chancellor, St Aloysius(Deemed to be University) and B T Obaleshappa, superintendent, district prison, Mangaluru and Michael D’Souza, course sponsor. Prof Glavin Rodrigues prepared the syllabus-modules and functioned as the coordinator and Prof Edmund Frank was the organiser of the training programme. Blany D’Souza and Prasanna D’Souza were the resource persons for terrace gardening and mushroom cultivation respectively.