Tamil Nadu

Fishermen sensitised to legal rights

Informative: National Legal Services Day programme under way at Manamelgudi in Pudukottai district.

PUDUKOTTAI: The fishermen and fisherwomen of Manamelkudi, a coastal village about 75 km from here, were in for a surprise when they were sensitised to the various laws protecting their rights and also the measures to seek legal remedial measures, courtesy a day-long Legal awareness programme held recently.

Organised under the joint auspices of the Taluk Legal Services Committee, Aranthangi, and the District Legal Services Authority, the programme sought to explain, in simple terms, the circumstances in which those lacking legal awareness would be exploited.

The Principal District and Sessions Judge, K. Jeyasankaran, who presided over the programme, outlined the salient features and functioning of the National Legal Services Authority and district and taluk-level units. He appealed to the people to take maximum advantage of the free legal services available through the Taluk Legal Services Committee. The legal services would be available for protecting the rights of the downtrodden and the weaker sections in general, and children, labourers, people belonging to scheduled caste and tribes besides women members of self-help groups.

The Additional District Judge, P. Ayyasamy; the Judicial Magistrates, V. Padmanathan and A. Kannan were among those who spoke, explaining the legal support guaranteed to the affected.

What attracted the audience most was a few songs, composed on the lines of folk art style, with the objective of creating legal awareness among the masses. Interestingly, these songs were penned by the Chairman (in-charge) of the Taluk Legal Services Committee and the District Munsif, R. Malathi.

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