POCSO AWARENESS & ONAM CELEBRATION AT AMBALAPUZHA

KISMAT Kottayam and MHD Kollam in association with DLSA (District Legal Service Authority, Alappuzha) organized an awareness programme & Onam celebration with ISMs at a camp in Ambalapuzha.

Adv. Deepa. C, Chengannur, Alappuzha taking the awareness class on POCSO Act.

KISMAT Kottayam and MHD Kollam in association with the District Legal Services Authority, Alappuzha, organized an awareness session on POCSO act and Onam celebration for the interstate migrants residing in a camp at Ambalapuzha panchayat on 24^th August 2023 in order to educate them about the various types of sexual exploitation faced by children in recent times. The aim of the programme was to impart knowledge of law & procedure for dealing with offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography against children with due regard for safeguarding the interest and well-being of the child.

The programme was inaugurated by Shri. Pramod Murali, Sub – Judge, DLSA, Alappuzha at 6:30pm, and he firstly appreciated the effort & work they put in to the construction sector, thus directly been part of the state’s economic growth and later addressed on the importance and relevance of this topic and at the same time wishing them on the auspicious occasion of the upcoming Onam festival celebrated by all natives of Kerala. Before this, a welcome note was delivered by MHD Kollam and later on a very informative awareness class on POCSO Act and excessive usage of substance abuse among the migrants was taken by Adv. Deepa. C in Hindi and only in few portions she required translation from MHD Kottayam during the entire class. She also stressed on promoting the sales of drugs among them, as it is a non – bailable offence and will face longer jail terms if caught by Police or Excise department. She also spoke on the consequences of watching and forwarding Child Pornography content on social media platforms will face severe punishments under the Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000.  After the class, she interacted with some of the migrants personally and shared her official contact number to migrants in need of emergency help. The migrants also shared about their bad experiences and atrocities they faced under few contractors and house owners. She explained them to move legally with the help of DLSA and complain at Police and Labour department to demand their justice. In the end, Payasam was served to the migrants by MHD Kollam, MHD Kottayam & DLSA team to around 100 ISMs present during the programme.