By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 5 May: A Mega Legal Awareness Camp was organised at Maldevta Panchayat of Raipur Block under the auspices of Legal Aid Centre, Law College, Uttaranchal University. The event was conducted at Government Inter College, Maldevta. Raipur Legislator Umesh Sharma (Kau) was the Chief Guest on the occasion, while Secretary, Legal Services Authority (Uttarakhand), Neha Kushwaha was present as the special guest. Panchayat representatives of Tehri District and members of Self-Help groups participated in the event.
Students of the Legal Aid Centre presented a skit concerning the functioning of the Panchayat system. Through the imaginary “Parvadun Ki Panchayat”, functional aspects of the Panchayat System were explained in their entirety. Students also delivered lectures related to certain important legal topics concerning the Panchayat System. Issues like the basis of selection of Panchayat Beneficiaries, First Information Report, Domestic Violence, Forest Related Legal Matters, Motor Accidents, Allotment & Preservation of Panchayat Lands, Right to Information and Legal Assistance were extensively dealt with during the programme.
In his address, Legislator Umesh Sharma thanked the organisers and observed that the legal camp very much fulfilled its objectives. He praised the well researched lectures of the student speakers. “Providing Leal assistance against injustice is a noble objective and the Legal Services Authority is an effective mechanism to address the same,” he remarked. He appreciated that these legal camps were instrumental in promotion of legal awareness among the masses.
Speaking at the event, Civil Judge (Senior Division) Neha Kushwaha adopted interactive methods to address the students. She explained the pros and cons of the legal-judicial process, the method to seek judicial remedies. She extensively dealt with various types of offences related to domestic violence, crime against children, juvenile justice system, cyber crimes and their respective judicial remedies. She asked the students to be vigilant in matters like subsidy on cylinders, transportation bills and unfair charges demanded from the beneficiaries of government schemes.
Addressing the gathering, Chancellor of Uttaranchal University Jitender Joshi stated that Law College Dehradun had been organising these informative legal camps in remote villages of the district for the last fifteen years. He reiterated the commitment to spreading legal knowledge to every village and the common masses.
The programme was also addressed by the former Pramukh of Raipur Block, Beena Bahuguna, and Principal of Government Inter College, Maldevta, Netrapal Singh Panwar. Principal of Law College Dehradun, Prof (Dr) Rajesh Bahuguna anchored the event.
Those present on the occasion were former Raipur Block Pramukh, Beena Bahuguna, Netra Pal Singh Panwar, Pankaj Khare, Vijay Giri Goswami, Neetu Balmiki, Dr Poonam Rawat, Kumar Ashutosh, Aradhya Singh, Amit Kumar, Vaibhav Uniyal, Kalam Singh Rawat, Surat Singh Negi, Narayan Singh Panwar, Amar Singh Bisht, Birendra Saindri, Suresh Chand, Sumit Pundir, Suman Ajwan, Jagdish Das, Namni Devi and hundreds of students.