Following directions from Jharkhand High Court, Jharkhand Legal Services Authority (JHALSA) in association with State Social Welfare Department, has launched an intensive awareness drive against witchcraft and other social evils in the State. The awareness campaign will be conducted in at least one village of each district by each of the District Legal Services Authorities in the State involving Para Legal Volunteers and Panel Lawyers.
“Besides making them aware against witchcraft, the tribal people are also made aware about the legal assistance and compensation provide to them free of cost by the DLSA,” said the JHALSA Member Secretary Arun Kumar Rai. PLVs and Panel Lawyers move in the vehicles provided by the Social Welfare Department and conduct awareness programmes through nukkad nataks, songs and also by distributing pamphlets among them, he added.
The campaign will be intensified in the New Year by involving the newly appointed PLVs.
“Though the campaign is being conducted all over the district, it will be intensified further from the coming year by involving the newly appointed PLVs and Panel lawyers,” said DLSA Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. Anti-witchcraft campaign is being taken prominently during the 100 day door to door legal awareness programme lau-nched on November 9, the day when Legal Services Authority Act came into force in 1995.
The 100-day campaign for creating legal awareness among the people at the ground level is to cover 303 panchayats covering all blocks in Ranchi.