Andhra Pradesh - Others   

Saviour of the underdog

S. Harpal Singh

Increasing number of people seek advice of LSA

LEGAL LINKS:A training class for para legal volunteers in progress

ADILABAD: The day may not be far off when the Legal Services Authority (LSA) in Adilabad district dons the role of saviour of the underdog. What it needs urgently is a wider spread of awareness on its existence and its role in the given legal system.

The growing importance of the LSA can be gauged by the fact that an increasing number of people are seeking advice from the LSA on diverse problems. Sometimes, even positive intervention is also being made in order to mitigate the problems of the people."Some farmers at Waghapur village brought to my notice the issue of their pattadar passbooks which the local MRO was denying them based on certain objections. I advised the MRO on how to tackle the issue, which resulted in thrashing out of the problem. The farmers got their passbooks," said LSA Secretary R. Pundarikakshudu.

Helpline

Mr. Pundarikakshudu has since given his cell phone number 9440901043 as a helpline for those seeking legal remedies. In pursuance of its basic function to create awareness and provide legal aid to the poor and downtrodden, elderly persons, and women and children, the LSA regularly undertakes legal literacy camps. It has also taken up training of para-legal volunteers who will eventually serve as a link between villagers and the LSA.

"Two trained para-legal volunteers from each village will educate people on the acts and laws about which we train them. They will bring to our notice legal, social or even administrative problems faced by the villagers so that we can take up the matter with the authorities concerned," explained Mr. Pundarikakshudu.

The para-legals will be give identity cards from the LSA to give them some sort of validity. However, their function will not be that of intervention but only to inform the authorities about the problems coming to their notice.

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