हिंदी
Chandigarh, August 1 – On Ist August, 2021, Haryana State Legal Services Authority launched year-long campaign “QUALITY OF LEGAL SERVICES IS KEY TO ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR ALL” in the auditorium of Apparel House, Sector-44, Gurugram, Haryana. The campaign was inaugurated by Mr. Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, Judge, Supreme Court of India and Executive Chairman, National Legal Services Authority.
Mr. Justice Ravi Shanker Jha, Chief Justice, Punjab & Haryana High Court and Patron-in-Chief Haryana State Legal Services Authority, Mr. Justice Jaswant Singh, Judge, Punjab & Haryana High Court and Administrative Judge, Sessions Division Gurugram, Mr. Justice Rajan Gupta, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court and Executive Chairman, Haryana State Legal Services, Mr. Justice Ajay Tewari, Judge, Punjab & Haryana High Court and Executive Chairman, Punjab State Legal Services Authority, Mr. Justice A.G. Masih, Judge, Punjab & Haryana High Court and Chairman, High Court Legal Services Committee and Sh. Rajeev Arora, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, Haryana have graced the occasion.
The programme was also attended by Shri Ashok Jain, Member Secretary, National Legal Services Authority, Sh. Sanjiv Berry, Registrar General, Punjab & Haryana High court, Chandigarh, Shri Puneet Sehgal, Director, National Legal Services Authority, District & Sessions Judges-cum-Chairpersons, District Legal Services Authorities of Haryana, Shri Parmod Goyal, Member Secretary, Haryana State Legal Services Authority, Chief Judicial Magistrates-cum-Secretaries, District Legal Services Authorities, Judicial Officers from Haryana, Panel Advocates, Para Legal Volunteers, Bar Members and Police Officers.
Under the aforesaid campaign, a series of projects have been launched by Mr. Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, Judge, Supreme Court of India and Executive Chairman, National Legal Services Authority. These projects in brief are as under:
Inauguration of dedicated Video Conferencing and Launch of structured & regular video consultation between legal aid counsel & person availing legal aid – To overcome the gap between the jail inmates and the legal aid counsel, need of structured and regular consultation between them is essential. Keeping this in the background, dedicated video conferencing facility have been started in all the 22 Districts of Haryana. They have been given complete infrastructure to accomplish this project. This inauguration was done through virtual mode.
Inauguration of Kids Zones in 18 DLSAs for making ADR Centres people friendly – To provide a cordial atmosphere to the children who accompany their parents to the ADR Centres, Kids Zone have been inaugurated today in 18 Districts of Haryana. It will cater the needs of those children whose one of the parent as visitation right and visit ADR Centres to meet their children as per the court orders. It will be also helpful for those children who accompany their parents at ADR Centres
Release of short film on Juvenile Justice Act (Care and Protection) Act, 2015- Awareness upon the Juvenile Justice Act is the key issue in the society as most of the people are not aware of the provisions of the Act, the benefits granted therein and the special treatment for the children who are defined as juveniles under the Act. To create awareness amongst the people on this issue, Haryana State Legal Services Authority has launched a short film today prepared in collaboration with National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). The main object is to educate the society about the legal rights of the children who fell prey to wrongs.
Release of animated short clip on rights of a person at Pre-arrest and arrest stage- To create awareness amongst people on rights of a person at Pre-arrest and arrest stage this animated short film has released today which shall be circulated on the social media or in any other awareness campaigns. It shall realize the people about their rights even when they have not been arrested or at the time of arrest.
Launch of awareness posters enumerating rights of a person at pre-arrest, arrest and remand stage to be affixed in Police Stations, Courts and jails- 08 posters have been launched today which extensively enumerates the rights of a person at pre-arrest, arrest and remand stage. The posters in Hindi would assist the people after these posters are affixed at Police Stations, Jails and Courts.
This campaign has been conceptualized by Haryana State Legal Services Authority to strengthen the legal services at different stages and make justice accessible for all despite of any economical or social constraint. Its primary objective is to enhance the quality of legal services and maximize the efforts of Legal Services Institutions in reaching people living in any corner of the State. This campaign will extend benefit to the different sections of the society and people would be made aware of their legal and fundamental rights. It is great initiative take by Haryana State Legal Services Authority to ensure the rights and benefits of weaker and marginalized sections of the society.
The program was started with the welcome address of Mr. Justice Rajan Gupta, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court and Executive Chairman, Haryana State Legal Services Authority. He has focused on the significance of quality legal services and how Legal Services Authorities can reach to the people who are in need. In his address Lordship apprised the gathering about Projects and the campaigns launched by Haryana State Legal Services Authority in last one year specially during COVID period. He further apprised the august gathering about the virtual awareness programmes launched by Haryana State Legal Services Authority amid COVID as online mode is the only available option during COVID-19. Words of George Herbert that A lean compromise is better than a fat lawsuit” are quoted by His Lordship to signify importance of service oriented legal services
During launch, Mr. Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, Judge, Supreme Court of India and Executive Chairman, National Legal Services Authority has shared his valuable views with the participants. His Lordship has highly appreciated the launch of Posters on rights of a person at Pre-Arrest, Arrest and Remand Stage. He further suggested all the State Legal Services Authorities in India to follow such initiatives as taken by Haryana State Legal Services Authority in this regard. He added that the time period of one year of this campaign to provide quality legal services to the people at Pre-arrest and arrest stage would certainly reduce the grievances of the people in the Police Station during arrest. He further laid emphasis upon the virtual modes of creating awareness when the physical interactions are not possible in situation like COVID-19. He discussed his valuable views with the gathering concerning the difficulties being faced by the people while taking legal aid and laid emphasis to work out and give solutions to such problems so that the confidence of the people on the legal services authorities may get better day by day. He connected this event with the martyrdom day of Lok Manya Bal Gangadhar Tilak. He shared that Tilak defended himself in the court and connected this with legal aid being granted today to the people in the court as well as before they come to the court i.e. at the pre-arrest and arrest stage.
Mr. Justice Ravi Shanker Jha, Chief Justice, Punjab & Haryana High Court and Patron-in-Chief Haryana State Legal Services Authority has enriched the participants with his vision. His Lordship laid emphasized upon the motto, “Access to Justice for all” and stated that for a society to proclaim itself to be civilized equally access to justice is must. He shared the efforts of Haryana State Legal Services Authority to reach out to all sections of society including victims of crime. He appreciated that Haryana State Legal Services Authority has successfully disbursed 23 crores as compensation in last one year under Haryana Victim Compensation Scheme. 250 Vaccination Camps organised by Haryana State Legal Services Authority was also the key point in the address.
The aforesaid event was concluded with the vote of thanks proposed by Mr. Justice Jaswant Singh, Judge, Punjab & Haryana High Court and Administrative Judge, Sessions Division Gurugram. During his address, Lordship shared his views upon the necessity of Legal Aid to the people at the initial stage in a Criminal Matter. He propose d thanks to the dignitaries on and off the dias to spare their valuable time for the program.
Around 300 participants attended from venue the function including the District & Sessions Judges from the State of Haryana, Judicial Officers from Gurugram Sessions Division, CJM/Secretaries, Haryana, Police Officers, Panel Advocates, PLVs, Bar Interns, Members of Bar, District Administration, Gurugram. Programme was also streamed alive wherein Hon’ble Executive Chairman State Legal Services Authorities, their member secretaries and other stakeholder in numbers had joined in.
Haryana State Legal Services Authority has been taking various other steps for precaution and prevention against COVID-19 across the State of Haryana. This Authority also launched a project namely “Arrest the disease-wear a mask, don’t go close, cover your nose” on 26.03.2021 in association with Health Department, Haryana with an aim to create awareness amongst general masses about COVID health protocols as well as to educate them about mask etiquettes. Under the said project, Legal Services Authorities conducted 220 vaccination camps across the State and 35,421 persons were vaccinated. Under this project, District Legal Services Authorities are undertaking mask making campaigns in association with NGOs/Public Agencies/Jails and distributing the same to the needy persons for free of cost. 1,08,517 masks were prepared/distributed under the campaign.
This Authority also launched short animated clips on various topics such as legal aid, gender equality, COVID vaccination and mask etiquettes with an aim to sensitize maximum people on respective topics and various aspects associated with them. HALSA has also prepared publicity materials on COVID-19 which have been shared with all the District Legal Services Authorities to circulate among public at large through different electronic means so we could reach each and every person even living in far-flung areas.
That apart, HALSA is also sharing awareness material under project “Corona Home Warriors” with the help of children and social media. It aims to create maximum mass awareness on prevention against COVID-19 and effective implementation of health protocols such as wearing of mask rightly, social distancing, washing of hands frequently, hands sanitization etc.
Project HOPE has also been launched by this Authority with an aim to help those unfortunate children who have lost their single or both parents in COVID pandemic while fighting with the disease. It aims to ensure the rights and benefits of children who are left alone or with a single surviving parent. Under the said project, 3,090 children have been identified who have lost their single parent and 84 children who have lost both the parents.
In the months of July, August and September 2021, Legal Services Authorities shall also undertake large scale tree plantation to create awareness for protection of environment by distributing free plants including crafted fruit plants.
During lockdown, HALSA through DLSAs extended help to 3,50,000 migrants regarding transit and food in coordination with District Administration & NGOs; more than 4,000 awareness programmes were conducted for creating awareness regarding Covid wherein more than 4,40,000 persons had participated; 2,00,000 mask & sanitizers were distributed; 2,700 were provided medical assistance; more than 20,000 Sanitary napkins were distributed; 8,121 were assisted with shelter; 20,103 were assisted with regard to travelling to home states or home districts; 1,100 Stranded Labourers were assisted for movement pass: 162 persons were given financial assistance under scheme of Haryana Govt. etc.
