Nagaland State Legal Services Authority honours best performers

DIMAPUR — The Nagaland State Legal Services Authority (NSLSA) held a commendation ceremony for the Best Performance Award 2025 for panel lawyer, legal aid defence counsel, and paralegal volunteer at Japfü Hotel, Kohima, on Saturday.

According to an update, the awards were handed over by NSLSA Member Secretary Neiko Akami.

The Best Performance for the Year 2025 (Panel Lawyer) was awarded to Sunjib Rana, retainer lawyer, Kohima District Legal Services Authority (DLSA).

It was mentioned that as a retainer lawyer, Rana has demonstrated the core values of the legal services authority—commitment, compassion, and competence—by providing quality legal aid and upholding the rights of the marginalised and underprivileged.

It was added that he disposed of multiple cases through mediation, created legal awareness, and provided legal expertise to the public.

The Best Para Legal Volunteer (PLV) award was given to Yingli A Kiekung, a PLV under Longleng DLSA. He assisted in organising legal awareness programmes in Longleng, provided counselling to sexually assaulted victims for availing victim compensation, and offered counselling to loan defaulters to settle bank cases, among other initiatives.

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The Best Legal Aid Defence Counsel award was given to Sentimenla, deputy legal aid defence counsel, Dimapur, in recognition of her service and professionalism in the delivery of legal aid under the Legal Aid Defence Counsel System (LADCS) in Dimapur. She took up more than 100 legal aid court-based cases, out of which more than 50% were disposed of.

They received certificates and cash prizes.

Winners of the national photography and art competition titled “Justice for All: Through the Lens of Legal Aid”, organised by NSLSA to commemorate 30 years of National Legal Services Day 2025, were also felicitated with certificates and cash prizes.

The winners included Kiphire DLSA (documentary – 1st prize); Alopeni, Grace Higher Secondary School, Kohima (art – 2nd position); and Laxmi, Razhükhrie Higher Secondary School, Kohima (art – 3rd position).

Seminar on environmental laws

NSLSA also organised a seminar on “Environmental laws and the harmful impacts of pollution and environmental degradation” in collaboration with the Nagaland State Pollution Control Board at Japfü Hotel, Kohima.

Delivering the keynote address, NSLSA Member Secretary Neiko Akami called for more programmes to sensitise and create awareness among the people and stakeholders about the importance of protecting and conserving forests and water resources from further destruction.

He stated that while having good roads boosts the economy and provides travel comfort, massive soil cutting has led to rivers being flooded with dirt, soil erosion affecting cultivated paddy crops and other agri-allied products, and the destruction of many irrigation lanes, thereby decreasing food productivity.

He further noted that extensive tree and plant destruction, exploitation of river stones, and overuse of natural resources due to road construction have resulted in shortages of fish in rivers, reduced rainfall, and increased heatwaves.

He urged the need to sensitise the government to frame policies for massive tree plantations and mass awareness among the public. He also cited other environmental issues such as shifting or jhum cultivation and forest burning and stressed the need to curb air and water pollution and exploitation of forests and natural resources.

Akami further proposed tree plantation initiatives in every village across the state with government support and called for effective implementation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and preservation of wildlife sanctuaries.

During the technical session, resource person Sidramappa Chalkapure, chief conservator of forests, Kohima, spoke on the legal framework for the conservation of forests, wildlife, and the environment and highlighted relevant acts and rules.

Akangmeren Imchen, scientist ‘C’, Nagaland Pollution Control Board, discussed the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, while Yanthung Kithan, scientist ‘B’, Nagaland Pollution Control Board, deliberated on the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.