Jalandhar, December 09(Wishav Warta): Civil Judge (Senior Division) cum Secretary District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Gurmeet Tiwana today said that any person who was a victim of one or another mishap/ crime could avail compensation under Victims Compensation scheme by simply filing an application with the Authority.
Interacting with the media persons at the Alternative Dispute Resolution centre in the District Judicial complex here today, the Civil Judge said that victims of rape or acid attack, person injured due to accident and kin of dead person could avail the benefits of this scheme. He said that victims hurt due to some sort of accident could avail maximum compensation of Rs 40,000, kin of a person who had died due to accident or murder could avail compensation upto Rs 1 lakh, Rape victims upto Rs 3 lakh and acid attack victims upto Rs 3 lakh besides reimbursement of entire medical expenses. Divulging the process Tiwana said that the victim could avail compensation simply by moving an application with the authority adding that they would process their application within 60 days. He said that in the ongoing fiscal year the authority has disbursed compensation worth Rs 31.25 lakh to such victims.
The Civil Judge further said that the authority was adopting a multi pronged strategy to apprise the people about their legal rights. He said that eight categories of people including women, children, SC/ ST, victims of natural calamities, workmen, people with annual income below Rs 1.50 lakh and others were eligible for legal aide. Tiwana said that concerted efforts were being made by the authority to make the people aware of these schemes adding that 130 para legal volunteers have been appointed in the district to inform the people about various programs of the authority.
The Civil Judhe further said that 1659 people had availed free legal aide in district during the current year. He said that 14 Lok Adalats were organized during the period in which 33810 cases were heard adding that 8348 cases were settled in these Lok Adalats and compensation worth Rs 28.62 lakh was provided to the people.
