: The Kerala Legal Aid Services Authority (KELSA) is evolving a scheme to ensure speedy disposal of cases involving the elderly.
According to available statistics, approxiately 32,000 cases of senior citizens were pending in different courts in the state, KELSA Chairman Justice Thothathil B Radhakrishnan, told reporters here.
Aiming to provide access to justice to the mentally challenged, the authority will be launching sensitisation workshops and awareness programmes soon through the various District legal Services Authorities and the Taluk Legal Service Committees throughout the state and would also monitor the quality of legal services being provided, he said.
KELSA will be taking a pro active step from Oct 10, which is observed as World Mental Health day to ensure legal services, aid and rights to the mentally challenged persons.
The dissemination of information regarding the rights of persons with mental illness, which is an essential part of the acces to justice, shall be done through a programme of collective, collaborative, participative and coordinated efforts of the KELSA along with stakeholders-- Medical Institutions, local self government institutions, NGOs, Anganwadis, kudambashree and ICDS groups, he said.
Pamphlets, Posters, Short films, in simple language will be the tools to ensure greater dissemination of information for means and access to rights.Radio and other audio visula media, social media would also be utilised to provide information to the grassroot levels.
The authority would engage trained lawyers, students, and para-legal volunteers through its legal aid clinics at all probable access points of persons with mental illness and legal aid clinics will be held periodically to address the issues of persons with mental illness, Justice Radhakrishnan said.
