Himachal: Access to justice is a constitutional right; lack of money should not be a barrier.

Himachal Pradesh: A mega legal literacy camp held today at the community center of Gadiara Gram Panchayat in the Palampur subdivision of Kangra district raised awareness about various legal and social issues among over 150 people. Senior Civil Judge, Palampur, Gaurav Kumar, presided over the event as the chief guest. He stated that access to justice is every citizen’s constitutional right, and that lack of money should not deprive anyone of justice. He added that the Legal Services Authority was specifically established to provide easy and timely access to justice to the poor and vulnerable sections of society. Gaurav Kumar stated that the authority provides free legal aid to economically weaker sections, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, women, persons with disabilities, and other eligible beneficiaries. He informed participants about traffic rules and explained that driving under the influence of alcohol and driving without a helmet attracts fines ranging from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000. He said that legal literacy camps are being organized regularly at the Panchayat level to make people aware of their rights and duties.
Advocate Arvind Sharma spoke about India’s intention to make it a drug-free society, stating that drug addiction is detrimental to individuals, families, and society as a whole. He emphasized the need to keep youth away from drugs and engage them in education, sports, and positive activities. He further stated that achieving the goal of a drug-free India requires concerted efforts from all sections of society to build a healthy, strong, and progressive nation. Advocate Rajesh Katoch spoke on environmental protection under the theme “Save the Planet.” He urged people to take responsibility for protecting nature. He further stated that increasing pollution, climate change, and the indiscriminate use of natural resources pose a serious threat to the Earth. He emphasized the importance of planting trees, conserving water, reducing plastic use, and adopting clean energy to ensure a safe and healthy future for future generations.