Bengal’s State Legal Services Authority launches support for survivors of domestic violence
The Hindu
‘Bhorsa’ provides psychological counseling, lodging of FIRs and applications of victim compensation.
The State Legal Services Authority, West Bengal on Friday, February 10, 2023, launched an initiative ‘Bhorsa’ to provide support to survivors of acid attack, domestic violence and trafficking among others from its own premises.
Bhorsa, which provides support like psychological counseling, lodging of FIRs, applications of victim compensation was conceived three years ago in February 2019, but on Friday the initiative started operating from the premises of SLSA, WB at the City Civil Court building in the heart of the city in close vicinity of Calcutta High Court.
Justice T. S. Sivagnanam of Calcutta High Court and Executive Chairman SLSA, West Bengal while explaining the decision to provide services of “ Bhorsa” from the new premises said that its earlier office was in a primarily residential area which suffered from “locational disadvantage”.. “ I will not say that it was not successful but it did not yield the desired results,” Justice Sivagnanam added, expressing hope that relocating the Centre would definitely help those for whom the initiative is aimed at.
During his address at the new launch of the scheme Justice Sivagnanam referred to his interactions with Chief Justice of India U. U. Lalit when he was Executive Chairman of NALSA ( National Legal Services Authority) on various issues relating to legal aid. He added that Justice Lalit had then suggested a model implemented in Hyderabad where legal aid is provided primarily by the police, however, so far authorities at SLSA, here have decided to carry on with “West Bengal model”. Justice Sivagnanam said that at Bhorsa survivors will get absolute privacy and a free of cost psychological counseling.
Lauding the pro bono work taken up by SLSA, West Bengal by different stakeholders he said that soon two SOPs (Standard Operating Procedure) will be out on conducting camps in various districts where the activities of the initiative ‘Bhorsa’ can be extended to a larger population. Justice Sivagnanam who was joined by other judges of the High Court at the event described the recently launched Legal Aid Defense Counsel System across 16 districts of the State as one of the success stories of SLSA, West Bengal.
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