The 10th Mega Legal Services Camp was conducted at Local Ground Wokha on January 19. The camp was organized by the Nagaland State Legal Services Authority (NSLSA) and Wokha District Legal Services Authority (WDLSA) in collaboration with Wokha district administration, government departments, stakeholders and NGOs.
According to a DIPR report, Gauhati High Court Judge and executive chairman NSLSA, Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, in his inaugural speech said that the Legal Services Authority (LSA), with the objective to reach out to the poor and needy, was conducting these legal services camps so that the targeted section of society could avail various welfare measures and beneficial schemes and policies of the government. He stated that through these camps, the public are sensitized on their rights and entitlements so that they can avail maximum benefit out of government schemes. Apart from giving legal help, he added that the Legal Services Authority was there to help the people receive necessary information regarding beneficial schemes.
DC Wokha, Dr. Manazir Jeelani Samoon, in his address, said that people should know their rights and entitlements in relation to the numerous government schemes to ensure that they are properly implemented. On this subject, he said awareness was very important and appealed to the people to learn about these schemes and get help during such camps so that the targeted section of people get their due share of benefits. He also appealed to the village councils to actively play roles in generating awareness at the grass-root levels to ensure proper planning and formulations of schemes and policies.
Besides generating awareness on government schemes and policies, the purpose of the camp was to make free legal aid available for people, particularly the marginalized sections of society. The public also got the opportunity to interact with several government departments and banks and to get oriented to various welfare programs/schemes of the government.
During the camp, LSA booths offered free legal services in things such as filling of forms, drafting affidavits etc. Volunteers in various booths assisted senior citizens, the differently-abled, and daily wage earners in registering for various governmental sponsored benefits and schemes. Schedule Tribe certificates and Birth certificates were also issued and filled during the camp. Many government departments and banks set-up stalls at the camp.
The function was chaired by chief judicial magistrate & secretary WDLSA, Wonchibeni V. Patton; key note address was delivered by member secretary NSLSA, Mezivolu T. Therieh, and a vote of thanks was proposed by project coordinator NSLSA.