Justice DN Patel of Jharkhand High Court on Friday emphasised on spreading awareness about rights, violations and remedies among the people of all social strata and enlightening them about their privileges and legal procedures for seeking solution to problems borne out of the encroachment of privileges.
Speaking at a two-day workshop organised for members of the team formed for seven schemes of National legal Services Authority (NAlSA), Patel underscored the need for effective implementation of seven legal services schemes launched by it for delivering competent legal services to people who are aloof about their rights and remedies.
“Not only knowledge about the schemes must be obtained but it should be seen how those schemes would percolate down up to the villages and reaches to the last person in the queue that is not aware of their rights, violation of the rights and from where remedies can be obtained,” said Patel, who is also the Executive Chairman of Jharkhand State legal Services Authority.
However, the senior most judge of the High Court indicated at the lacuna in the systems approach to uphold rights of socially marginalised population through a host of welfare schemes funded by central government and similar sources that release funds for those schemes. The High Court judge focused on the need to spread awareness among tribal community and role of the volunteers part of the team formed for the execution of the seven schemes.
Patel said “So many schemes are there, crores of rupees come from Delhi, Supreme Court, central government however money is not spent and it goes back after March 31 and we pass orders in public interest litigation”
NAlSA’s schemes must percolate down: Justice Patel likewise when adivasis’ land is acquired, they don’t know what to do, they don’t get full compensation so this is where para-legal volunteers and legal retainers should know what are the seven schemes.
The JHAlSA would be convening a meeting of all deputy commissioners in January besides organising a programme in February with emphasis on tribal rights and protection of tribal rights, added Patel.
Even as the latest forms of governance and legal setup replaced varied forms of governance especially those practiced by the tribal communities of Jharkhand conflict between the tribal system and lack of efforts to incorporate it into the later forms of rule accentuated the role of legal awareness drives.
The perceived confrontation between various constituents is the fallout of the failure of the system that replaced the earlier forms of governance especially in terms of extending the benefits to communities that became part of the new setup.
“Our social system at the bottom has failed and it going through a crisis. The executive that was expected to perform has failed. The representative system which had to become sensitive became source of evil,” maintained Padam Shree Ashok Bhagat.
Bhagat described the societal setup of tribal community as self sufficient and competent enough to not require any alternative structure on top. The Padam Shree recipient also raised voice for greater autonomy to gram sabha in policy matters related to rural areas.
The workshop organised under tutelage of JHAlSA discussed ill effect of social practices such as witchcraft, trafficking, domestic violence, legal services to mentally challenged, legal recourse in cases of drug abuse, poverty alleviation; rights of workers in unorganised sector, child rights and its protection among others.
Member Secretary of JHAlSA, Navneet Kumar; Chairperson of JSCW, Mahua Maji and IG-Organised Crime, Sampat Meena were present on the occasion.