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Indian Express
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Finally, sugarcane cutters in Pune get identity cards, as DLSA tackles red tapism
Nearly three years after the Maharashtra government initiated a program to provide identity cards to the sugarcane cutters, not a single among them from Pune district had received it, until the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Pune, intervened, recently. DSLA tackled red tapism and finally the identity cards of 561 sugarcane cutters working with different sugar factories in Pune district were prepared. Of them, 55 sugarcane cutters were given their identity cards last month, ceremoniously, in presence of Principal Districts and Sessions Judge Mahendra Mahajan in Pune. As per a DLSA press release, at the ceremony held on April 23, Mahajan said, 'Sugarcane cutters are the backbone of Maharashtra's agrarian economy, yet their identity often goes unrecognised. Through this initiative, we not only provide them with an identity card—we acknowledge their dignity, contribution, and right to access justice and welfare. The judiciary must extend beyond courtrooms to where justice is truly needed.' Meanwhile, over five thousand sugarcane cutters in Pune itself are yet to get their identity cards. It was in 2021 that the Maharashtra government initiated a program to maintain records of sugarcane cutters and provide them identity cards, which would give them access to various government schemes related to health, education, hostel facilities for children, financial assistance and life insurance of Rs 5 lakh. In April 2022, the 'Loknete Gopinath Munde Sugarcane Workers Welfare Corporation' was inaugurated. It aimed to offer welfare and social security schemes to the few lakh sugarcane cutters in Maharashtra, which included providing identity cards. According to Sonal Patil, Secretary, DLSA, Pune, when they started awareness programmes for sugarcane cutters at the Sugar Factories in Pune district last year, it was learnt that none of them had received identity cards. 'Due to lack of education and awareness, many of the sugarcane cutters living in harsh conditions, were not even aware of the identity cards and its benefits,' said Patil. She added, 'After awareness sessions, we received 5,132 applications from sugarcane cutters, who worked in Pune based sugar factories, but a majority of them were natives of other districts. As per a government ruling, the local Gram Sevaks were supposed to provide identity cards to the sugarcane cutters who have worked at any Sugar factory for three continuous years.' Patil said the Gram Sevaks were initially reluctant in doing their job, so the DLSA decided to report to their senior authorities and also communicated with the Loknete Gopinath Munde Sugarcane Workers Welfare Corporation for assistance. 'We helped the sugarcane cutters in compiling their documents, getting three years work experience letters from Sugar Factories. Then, after a consistent outreach and cooperation with government departments, the process of preparing and issuing the identity cards to the sugarcane cutters started. We hope it continues and all sugarcane cutters in the district get identity cards to support their legal and social inclusion,' said Patil. When contacted, Gorakh Chavan, from the Kasabkheda village in Nashik district, said, 'I worked at the Shri Vighnahar Co-operative Sugar Factory in Junnar Taluka of Pune district. I am glad to receive my identity card…. I have two children. I hope the identity card helps me and my family for a better future' However, another sugarcane cutter Ulhas Rathod from Jalna, said he too worked with a sugar factory in Pune, but has not received his identity card yet. A DLSA official said of the 561 identity cards, 55 have been issued directly to the sugarcane cutters. While the remaining, including that of Ulhas Rathod, have been handed over to their factories. A sugar factory official from Pune said they would give these identity cards to the sugarcane cutters, who have now gone back to their native places after the end of the sugarcane crushing season in March. Chandan Haygunde is an assistant editor with The Indian Express with 15 + years of experience in covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has been associated with The Indian Express since 2007. Chandan has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the 'Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation' in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He has done in-depth reporting on the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and hearings of the 'Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry'. ... Read More
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Time of India
86,542 cases settled in National Lok Adalat
Pune: A total of 86,542 cases were settled, and compensation of Rs183.5 crore was awarded to the litigants in the National Lok Adalat organised at the district and sessions courts on Saturday. The district legal services authority (DLSA), Pune, placed 2.20 lakh compoundable cases for settlement before 123 panels in the Lok Adalat, of which 86,542 cases were successfully settled between the disputed parties. The cases settled include bank recovery, criminal, electricity bills, labour disputes, land acquisition, motor accident claims, matrimonial disputes, cheque bounce, revenue, service matters, water bills, and consumer disputes. DLSA secretary Sonal Patil said the Lok Adalat, organised under the guidance of principal district and sessions judge Mahendra Mahajan, successfully resolved 86,542 cases, underscoring the efficacy of alternative dispute resolution in making justice accessible to all. Patil said this achievement reflects not only the unwavering commitment of their team but also the collaborative spirit of the judiciary, legal professionals, and the public. "The purpose of Lok Adalat is to take justice to the homes of people. We remain steadfast in our mission to ensure that justice is not a distant ideal but a tangible reality for every citizen," she said. The Lok Adalat, for the first time, settled a commercial dispute case of Rs3 crore filed by Atlas Chemicals against ABC Inc under the Commercial Courts Act, 2018. It helped in securing the release of 10 undertrial prisoners lodged in Yerawada Central Prison in six theft cases. The Lok Adalat reunited a couple in a matrimonial dispute case after referring them to a series of counselling sessions.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Time of India
Presence of teen driver in Porsche crash among minors sought for counselling session at new JJB centre
Pune: The District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) has urged the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) in the city to secure on 'voluntary basis' the presence of the teenage driver involved in last year's Porsche Taycan car crash, along with minors out on bail in other crimes, for a session on May 5 at a newly opened child-friendly counselling centre on JJB premises in Yerawada. Principal district and sessions judge Mahendra Mahajan, who is also the DLSA chairman, inaugurated the new centre on April 28 — a joint initiative of DLSA, Women And Child Development Department, and Hope For The Children Foundation. "The centre aims to secure a new opportunity for children in conflict with law (CCL) below 18 years, reshape their lives and hopes and develop them into strong, capable, and responsible citizens," Mahajan said in a statement. "The counselling centre will provide a safe, reliable, and understanding platform for these children," Mahajan said, stressing on the need for addressing the emotional and mental needs of children at the root. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like CFD's: Investing $200 in Emaar Malls can give you a second income TradeLG Undo Sonal Patil, the DLSA secretary said, "Continuous counselling will help CCLs to achieve a strong mental health and inspire them to become responsible citizens in future. CCLs at times don't understand the consequences of crime; we would be referring them to a series of experts to bring them into the mainstream competition and apprise them of govt schemes, vocational training, and skill development courses meant for their welfare and rehabilitation so that they give up crime." Additional JJB-2 sanctioned to expedite trial against minors The state govt has sanctioned an additional JJB-2 at Yerawada to help the existing JJB-1 expedite the trial of more than 4,931 cases from Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, and Pune rural areas. Pune district and sessions court had submitted a proposal regarding this in 2024 to reduce the case load on the existing board. The Bombay high court on April 24 communicated to the district court that it has cleared the proposal and the state govt too has cleared the same. The JJB-2 will comprise of a woman judicial officer and two nominated members and other staffers and is expected to become functional in a couple of months. Nearly 2,600 cases would be transferred to the additional JJB to expedite trial against the minors. |
