Punjab State Legal Services Authority today launched a project “Holding Hands and Reaching to Them” for Homeless and People with Special Needs from here under the benign guidance of Hon'ble Mr. Justice Krishna Murari, Chief Justice of Punjab & Haryana High Court and Patron-in-Chief State Legal Services Authorities Punjab, Haryana and UT Chandigarh. On this occassion Hon'ble Mr. Justice Mahesh Grover, Judge of Punjab & Haryana High Court and Executive Chairman, Punjab State Legal Services Authority, Hon'ble Mrs. Justice Daya Chaudhary, Judge of Punjab & Haryana High Court and Administrative Judge, Sessions Division, SAS Nagar and District Sessions Judge Mr. Vivek Puri were also present.Under this Pilot project, District Legal Services Authority, SAS Nagar has adopted Rain Basera: Shelter for Urban Homeless, Which is situated opposite Dara Studio, phase 6. Punjab State Legal Services Authority would formulate Hand Holding Teams in each District and will adopt existing Homes for Homeless People and the Hospitals.In a function here today, Punjab State Legal Services Authority has also launched a web portal under this unique project and anyone can upload the information on this portal regarding a person who requires assistance, which are Mentally Sick homeless persons, Destitute requiring life saving medicines, Differently abled persons, Children of prisoners requiring assistance, Woman Victims of sexual offences, Acid Attack Victims, Unattended senior citizens, Beggars and Missing Children.Mrs. Harpreet Kaur, Member Secretary, Punjab State Legal Services Authority stated that this endeavour will be made to help those persons who are homeless and are wandering on road due to lack of shelter Homes.
Para Legal Volunteers shall be deputed at home in order to ensure that the needy person reaches this home at the earliest.Mrs. Monika Lamba, Secretary District Legal Services Authority, said that the hand holding team of the concerned district would help the needy person. She further said that the Legal Services Authorities are providing court based legal services to poor, children, women and the people of marginalised segments. Apart from this the Legal Services Institutions are always standing to protect the rights of Children, Senior Citizen, Acid Attack Victims and People from marginalized segments of the society. To achieve this purpose, Legal Services Authorities are operating through Legal Aid Lawyers and Para Legal Volunteers.Divulging more, Mrs. Lamba said that the Punjab State Legal Services Authority is having 62 Front Offices in District Court Complexes and Tehsil Court Complexes. We are also having Legal Aid Clinics in Jails, Remote Areas, Hospitals and in other places. We are also having Village Care and Support Centres. The students are also working for Legal Services Institutions through Legal Literacy Clubs.Secretary further said that Punjab State Legal Services Authority can also be reached through a Toll Free Number 1968, through e-mail [email protected] and through any of the Front Office of the District Legal Services Authorities.Other dignitaries who were present on this occasion are Deputy Commissioner Mrs. Gurpreet Kaur Sapra, Commissioner Municipal Corporation Mr. Bhupinder Pal Singh, Joint Commissioner Mrs. Kannu Thind, Civil Surgeon Dr. Rita Bhardwaj and Advocate General of Punjab Mr. Atul Nanda.