Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak (Centre) on the eve of the inauguration of the camp
Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak (centre) at the inauguration of the camp. Photo: Northeast Now

Assam State Legal Services Authority, Assam (SLSA) in collaboration with the District Legal Service Authority (DLSA) and Darrang district administration organized a district level free mega legal aid camp on Sunday at village Moholiapara under Sipajhar LAC ,some twenty kilometers from the head quarter town  Mangaldai of Darrang district.

Around thirty five different stalls have been set up where majority of the State government departments of the district including Health, Agriculture, Transport, Legal Service, Handloom and Textile, Fishery, Legal Metrology, District Child Protection Unit etc publicly displayed important information regarding their respective public welfare and amenity services.

A few non government organizations including Crystal Vision of Mangaldai, running a government recognized specialized Adoption Agency (SAA) has also displayed various relevant informations in respect of care, protection of orphan, abandoned and surrendered children.

Representatives of various participating departments also presented a brief speech on their activities.

Meanwhile explaining the objectives of organizing such legal camps in the remote rural areas, Satya Nath Sharma, member secretary of the State Legal Services Authority underlined how in spite of implementation of series of poverty alleviation programmes by the government a large section of genuine citizens have still remained poor and can’t live with dignity due to lack of access to such amenities and services.

He observed that organizing such camps as their obligation to act as facilitator in connection with these public welfare schemes and the targeted underprivileged populace.

“Though the intention of the policy makers is noble but experience has taught us that more often than not the benefits of these schemes do not reach the needy due to variety of reasons. Therefore it our obligation to act as a facilitator between the government and the intended beneficiaries,” he said.

Earlier, the day long mega camp participated by a large number of people from all sections of the society and government officials, staff was ceremonially inaugurated by the chief guest of the function, Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak, judge of Gauhati High Court in presence of MLA, Sipajhar Binanda Kr Saikia , Darrang Deputy Commissioner, Ashok Kr Barman, District and Sessions Judge, Darrang, P K Bora and several distinguished guests.

Cheques of financial aid have also been distributed to a few selected beneficiaries of some government schemes by the chief guest while he also inaugurated a free health screening camp organized befitting the occasion.

Mayukh Goswami is Northeast Now Correspondent in Mangaldai. He can be reached at: [email protected]