Photos: In Chennai, jail inmates turn demonetised notes into stationery

Convicts at Puzhal Central Prison, Chennai serving life imprisonment are giving fresh use to demonetised currency, by converting shredded notes into stationery. Six other jails in the state are also involved in making file-pads but Puzhal is the only one to make them from demonitised currency.

Updated on: Jan 8, 2018 10:09 AM IST

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An inmate at the Puzhal Central Prison located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu shows shredded pieces of demonetised notes. Convicts serving life imprisonment terms at this prison are giving a fresh lease of life to demonetised currency, converting it into customised stationery for government use. (R Senthil Kumar / PTI)

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Prison officials and jail inmates arrange bundles of compacted notes, supplied by Reserve Bank of India, for making stationary at Puzhal Central Prison. According to a senior official, the stationery made here is used by state government departments and their agencies. (R Senthil Kumar / PTI)

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Inmates first turn shredded notes into pulp which is then poured into a die-mould. Everyday, a specially trained team of about 25-30 convicts serving life imprisonment make file holders at this niche stationery making unit. For putting in 25 days of this work per month, they get wages ranging between Rs 160-200 (for eight hours a day) depending upon whether they are skilled or semi-skilled. (R Senthil Kumar / PTI)

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An inmate spreads demonetized currency pulp which eventually turns into hard pads, into a mould. The Reserve Bank of India offered 70 tons of shredded notes out of which about 1.5 tons has been used to make the holders so far. About 1,000 such holders are made daily at Puzhal prison. (R Senthil Kumar / PTI)

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After cutting out hardened pads to size, coloured paper is pasted onto them. Besides using the notes, file-pads are also made using specially procured hard pads from Khadi, the official said. Used in government offices, a file pad is a type of semi-corrugated hard pad, its corners reinforced with red cloth. (R Senthil Kumar / PTI)

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After pasting the cover inmates tag them with “Urgent” and “Ordinary” markings. Though six other jails in Tamil Nadu including Vellore, Salem and Madurai make such holders, Puzhal is the only centre to make them out of old currency. Approximately 1.5 lakh file-pads are produced every month in Tamil Nadu. (R Senthil Kumar / PTI)

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An inmate and a police personnel display finished file holders made by inmates at the jail. There is a proposal to upgrade the hand-made stationery unit into a semi-automated facility to enhance the productivity. Apart from stationery-making, the Central jails in the state also specialise in the production of shoe polish, soap and leather accessories. (R Senthil Kumar / PTI)