Palamu (Jharkhand): Rita Devi was shattered
when her husband, a lawyer, died untimely in a road accident
recently, putting her life into jeopardy.
With two minor sons to bring up, Rita was at a loss how
to cope with the crisis her life was suddenly thrown into when
the Palamu Bar Association, in which her husband Sunil Kumar
was a member, extended a helping hand.
The bar association provided Rs 75,000 from its welfare
fund to Rita Devi and promised to help her in other ways too.
Subodh Kumar Sinha, the general secretary of the bar
association said, Kumar’s family was among several families
who got the succor.
The bar was set up in 1892 and boasts 610 members to
date and contributions to the welfare fund are made by members
themselves.
Sinha said in its over-a-century existence, the
association has helped out many distressed families.
Sunil Kumar, a young advocate of Palamu in Jharkhand,
had been to Mumbai with his family recently and died there in
a road accident.
Sinha said on the death of any member-lawyer, his/her
family is given Rs 75,000 while for the purpose of marriage of
the daughter of any member, Rs 31,000 is provided.
Sinha said efforts were on to expand the scope of
welfare measures, but lack of support or encouragement by the
government was one of the major impediments.
The welfare fund, he regrets, is functioning only at the
local level and since the government is yet to set up an
advocates’ welfare trust as some states have done, its
activity cannot be expanded.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, February 15, 2011, 10:44