Arunachal Pradesh State Legal Service Authority organizes refreshers training

ITANAGAR: The Arunachal Pradesh State Legal Service Authority (APSLSA) in collaboration of Department of Justice, Ministry of Law & Justice organized refreshers training on 'Synergy between customary practices and formal law' for Gaon Burahs and Gaon Burihs of the Papumpare Circle at Siddhartha hall here recently.

Speaking to the reporters, APSLSA Member Secretary Jawelu Chai informed that according to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2018 with the Department of Justice, ministry of law and justice, APSLSA had to organize two projects.

She said that the two projects included the training of Gaon Burah and Gaon Burihs (GBs) and establishment of a legal aid clinic in Arunachal Pradesh. "We have the target to provide training to the 400 GBs of state but we have so far been able to train more than it," she said, adding that the training was basically to refresh the village heads of the previous training.

She also said that the APSLSA organized similar consultative training earlier. Accordingly a training was also conducted to make sure that the entire training benefited the GBs and to know their views on it.

"The training dwelt on Assam Frontier (Administration of Justice) Regulation-1945, right to information, right to education, Arunachal Pradesh victim's compensation schemes etc," she added.

While addressing the refreshers training, she also highlighted the free legal services, legal aid clinic and Lok Adalat among other issues. The GBs were also informed about their power, functions and jurisdiction.

The general secretary of All Arunachal Pradesh Gaon Burah Welfare Association (AAPGBWA) Tache Lombi speaking to the reporters said that more Gaon burihs should be appointed. He said that there is a need for more Gaon Burihs to solve the cases related to women as the same gender makes it easy and comfortable in communicating some private points which they can't share with male GBs.

"I have solved many cases so far; but I wish there is more participation and inclusion of women GBs," he said, adding that the AAPGBWA have always encouraged women participation.

Meanwhile, APSLSA Deputy Secretary of Law and Judicial Department Dani Belo spoke on the Assam Frontier (Administration of Justice) Regulation 1945 and judiciary in the present context of Arunachal Pradesh and the way forward.

Earlier, guest speaker and advocate from Guwahati High Court, Itanagar permanent bench Sunil Mow spoke on the Scheduled Tribes & Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 with special reference to Arunachal Pradesh".