Almora – Under the directives of the Hon’ble Uttarakhand State Legal Services Authority and the guidance of Shri Shrikant Pandey, Chairman, District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Almora, a three-day legal awareness campaign titled “Child Marriage-Free Uttarakhand” was organized from May 14 to May 16, 2025. The campaign was led by Ms. Shachi Sharma, Secretary, DLSA Almora.
On the concluding day, May 16, legal awareness camps were held at various locations including Government Inter College Deenapani, Higher Secondary School Vidyapeeth, Kasar Devi, and Ward Heeradungri. Each camp began with the NALSA theme song “Ek Mutthi Aasman”, setting an inspiring tone for the sessions.
The program aimed to educate students and laborers about the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, highlighting the social and psychological consequences of child marriage. Participants were also informed about key helpline numbers such as Child Helpline 1098 and Police Helpline 112, as well as the Right to Education for children aged 6 to 14 years and the responsibilities of parents and guardians.
A special legal awareness camp was organized in Heeradungri specifically for laborers. This session focused on the NALSA Scheme for Legal Services to the Workers in the Unorganized Sector, 2015. Participants received detailed information on welfare schemes, registration procedures, special cells, labor laws, and provisions related to minimum wages.
The camps concluded with the NALSA theme song, reinforcing the campaign’s message of hope and awareness. The sessions witnessed active participation from school teachers, legal literacy volunteers such as Neeta Kadakoti, Deepa Pandey, and Deepa Bhandari, along with several social workers.
This campaign played a significant role in spreading awareness about the harmful effects of child marriage and the rights of laborers. It successfully engaged the community and fostered a deeper understanding of legal rights and social responsibilities in rural and urban areas of Almora.