Kalam praises J

Srinagar, Jan 28 (UNI) President A P J Abdul Kalam in his 58th Republic Day address to the nation had showered praises on the judiciary in Jammu and Kashmir for its legal aid to the survivors of the devastating earthquake on October 8, 2005.

''....or shall I talk to you about the way that the judicial system of the state became a partner for on the spot disbursal of compensation to the victims of an earthquake in Jammu and Kashmir for ensuring timely compensation to the right persons,'' Dr Kalam had said in his last address to the nation as President of India.

The judiciary in Jammu and Kashmir had played a significant role in reaching out to the quake-affected people.

About 100 'Lok Adalats' headed by judicial officers and comprising government representatives were held in earthquake-hit areas of Uri, Tangdhar and several areas in Baramulla, Kupwara and Poonch districts under the directions of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice Bashir Ahmed Khan to undertake on-the-spot resolution of disputes related to relief distribution among the victims.

It was a unique and the first of its kind experiment in the country when judicial officers and the government representatives worked hand-in-hand in difficult and inhospitable conditions to resolve the disputes through door-to-door 'Lok Adalats' in the quake-affected areas.

More than 2000 claims involving Rs 25 crore were settled in a record period of five weeks, thus saving them from time-consuming litigation which could have otherwise gone on for years together.

During his visit to the earthquake-affected areas in Jammu and Kashmir on November 26-27 in 2005, President Kalam distributed relief cheques awarded by the 'Lok Adalats' to some victims at Uri.

The President appreciated the 'Lok Adalats' and called these as ''mobile courts'' and exhorted the authorities in other parts of the country to emulate the successful experiment undertaken in Jammu and Kashmir.

Dr Kalam had also lauded this innovative mechanism while addressing lawyers and judges at Chandigarh on the eve of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Punjab and Haryana High Court.

UNI