PRO BONO CLUB (NUJS)

&
LEGAL AID SOCIETY

REPORT OF ACTIVITIES- 2023

PRO BONO CLUB (PB CLUB)
NUJS KOLKATA
 VISION OF THE PRO BONO CLUB NUJS

Pro Bono Club (PB club) Scheme, has been conceptualized to strengthen the existing pro
bono programme, by integrating law schools and students within its fold. The primary
objective of this scheme is to improve the efficiency and quality of pro bono legal services by
providing assistance to pro bono advocates through competent law students. Here, selected
law students (known as ‘Pro Bono Associates’ or PBA) are part of Pro Bono clubs attached to
law schools and helmed by a dedicated faculty in-charge.

In NUJS, in similar fashion, students run on the ethos of sustainable development. They
undertake projects and programs that are self-reliant while having a gradual pace.

Our strength, our alumni are luminaries in their respective domains of law, practicing in the
different hierarchies of the judicial system. In the course of self-reliance, our alums run these
cases from the adopted village on a free legal aid case basis. Therefore, from the cycle of
imparting legal literacy to the discovery of people who need assistance to finally the cases
being taken up by our alumni, NUJS is running an efficient, unique and significant pro bono
club scheme model.
 26TH NATIONAL EXHIBITION ORGANIZED BY
CENTRAL CALCUTTA SCIENCE AND CULTURE
ORGANIZATION FOR YOUTH
Date: 24th to 27th August

The Pro Bono Club is proud to have participated in the 26th National Exhibition organized by
Central Calcutta Science and Culture Organization for Youth from 24th to 27th August,
2023, where we set up a stall to showcase our initiatives and raise awareness about our
mission, provided valuable legal guidance and information to the public. This report outlines
the key interactions and activities undertaken by the club during the event.
Property Disputes guidance:
 People approached the stall on separate days with property disputes related to shops
and other property matters.
 Senior members and faculty clarified necessary steps and processes, offering guidance
on resolving the issue.

Succession and Guardianship related awareness:

 Another individual sought assistance with property disputes related to the succession
of ancestral property and ownership as a guardian of a minor.
 Present senior members provided clarification, addressing doubts and concerns
regarding the legal aspects of the matter.

Forceful Land Occupation Assistance:

 Some visitors expressed concerns about forceful land occupation by extended family
members.
 Faculty present at the stall assisted in clarifying doubts and providing guidance on
potential legal recourse.

Missing Persons and Legal Aid Referral:

 An individual approached the club regarding missing persons allegedly taken away by
army personnel.
 The person was directed to the offline Legal Aid chambers on weekdays, aligning
with their preference for assistance.

Inquiries about the University and Legal Education:

 Multiple visitors inquired about how NUJS functions, admission procedures, and
entrance examinations.
 Faculty and present students engaged with these adults, providing insights into the
workings of the university and legal education.

Guidance for School Children on Legal Aid Access:

  Children from various schools were guided on accessing free legal aid and how the
Pro Bono Club and LAS society could efficiently assist them.

Senior-led Information Sessions:

 Seniors conducted sessions explaining the workings of the Pro Bono Club and LAS to
larger groups, elucidating the purpose of the camp at the National Exhibition.

Awareness Campaign for Visitors:

 Visitors were encouraged by members to spread awareness about the availability of
free legal aid, urging them to contact LAS and the Pro Bono Club if they were aware
of people in need.
Interactive Media Segment:
 Senior members were interviewed on camera about the functioning of the camp and
its current goals, providing insights for those not physically present.

Volunteer Involvement and Public Interactions:

 Volunteers gained first-hand insight into the working of the Pro Bono Club by aiding
members during public interactions.

This hands-on experience allowed volunteers to actively participate in the club's outreach
efforts.
The Pro Bono Club's participation in the 26th National Exhibition was marked by impactful
interactions, legal guidance, and community outreach. The diverse range of queries and cases
addressed demonstrates the club's commitment to providing accessible legal aid and
promoting awareness of legal rights in the community. The interactive sessions, media
engagement, and volunteer involvement further enriched the overall experience and impact of
the Pro Bono Club at the National Exhibition.
 INAUGURATION OF THE PRO BONO CLUB AT NUJS
KOLKATA UNDER PBCS, MINISTRY OF LAW AND
JUSTICE, NEW DELHI AND PANEL DISCUSSION ON
“REVISITING JUSTICE – SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND
POLITICAL AFTER 75 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE”

Venue: Room 107, West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, 12, LB Block,
Sector III, Bidhannagar, Kolkata, West Bengal- 700098

Date: 16th August 2022

Overview:
The Pro Bono Club at NUJS, under the aegis of the Ministry of Law and Justice, New Delhi,
conducted its first offline panel discussion on “Revisiting Justice – Social, Economic and
Political After 75 Years of Independence” on 16th August in Room 107, as part of the
Inauguration of the Pro Bono Club Chapter. On this occasion, a welcome address is given by
Prof. (Dr.) N K Chakrabarti, Vice-Chancellor, NUJS, Kolkata, at 3:00 PM, followed by the
Introduction about the PBCS and Future Roadmap given by Ms. Sneha Sharma, Project
Manager, Nyaya Bandhu (Pro Bono Legal Services), DoJ. Subsequent to that, the main Panel
Discussion on “Revisiting Justice – Social, Economic and Political After 75 Years of
Independence” took place in the presence of Dr. Sanjit Kumar Chakraborty, Dr. Shameek
Sen, Mr. Agnidipto Tarafder, Dr. M P Chengappa, and Adv. Sonam Basu, Calcutta High
Court, which went for more than 90 minutes. Finally, a keynote address is given by the chief
guest, Hon’ble Justice Soumen Sen, Judge, Calcutta High Court, at 6:00 PM which went for
an hour and ended with the vote of thanks given by Agniva Chaktabarti, a member of the Pro
bono club.

Brief Profile of Our Chief Guest, Hon’ble Justice Soumen Sen:

The Hon’ble Justice Soumen Sen was born on 27th July, 1965 in Kolkata. He did his
schooling at St. Lawrence High School at Kolkata. He passed the LL.B. Examination (5
years) from the University of Calcutta in the year 1990, securing the highest mark and
standing First in the said Examination. He participated in the Debates and Moot Court
Competition and was adjudged First in order of merit for individual performance at the XII
All India Moot Court Competition 1989 held in Pondicherry in connection with selection for
the International Division of Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition -
1989. Enrolled as an Advocate under the Bar Council of West Bengal in January
1991. Practiced as an Advocate in the Hon’ble High Court at Calcutta, both in the Original
Side and Appellate Side and before other Courts/Tribunals for the last 20 years designated as
Senior Central Government Advocate. Appeared in Civil, Constitutional, Banking and
Arbitration matters and on behalf of RBI, SEBI, SIDBI & other Statutory Authorities.
He was elevated as Judge of the Calcutta High Court on 13th April 2011.
Outcome:
The Panel discussion turned up very engaging wherein Hon’ble Justice Soumen Sen
explained the utmost importance of legal ‘aid’ (he pointed out that perhaps it ought to be
called ‘legal support’). He shared his experience as the Chairman of the Calcutta High Court

Legal Services Authority and one of pioneer judicial figures at Calcutta High Court who is
actively engaged in the awareness of mental health, especially mental health of prisoners in
correctional homes.
He encouraged students to do their bit, as much as possible. He quipped, “when you speak to
a non-legal person, watch what you wear and what you speak”. He hoped that more and more
students will contribute to the growing pro bono legal system and in return learn essential
skills even before joining the profession officially.
Lastly, he requested our Hon’ble Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Nirmal Kanti Chakraborty and
Nodal Officer Prof. Dr. S K. Chakraborty to facilitate holding legal aid camps in the most
remotest corners of West Bengal, if possible, to aid to the disadvantaged and promised to be a
part of the same.
COMMUNITY CARE LEGAL ASSISTANCE (CCLA)
PROGRAMME ORGANISED
BY PRO BONO CLUB (PB
CLUB) NUJS KOLKATA

DATE – 18th and 22nd May 2022

Overview
Day One: 18th May, 2022
Preliminary Survey for conducting Community
Care Legal Assistance (CCLA) Programme

A team of ten volunteers had conducted the

preliminary survey towards Community Care
Legal Assistance (CCLA) Programme. It was
organised by Pro Bono Club (PB Club) at West Bengal National University of Juridical
Sciences, Kolkata under The Ministry of Law and Justice’s Nayyabandhu Programme for the
Nationwide Network of Pro Bono Club Scheme (PBCS), Government of India. The group of
volunteers consisted of Research Fellows, Doctorate Scholars, Research Assistant and Pro
Bono Associates. The survey was conducted in the afternoon after the permission was sought
from the Village Gram Panchayat Pradhan and the Anchal Pradhan of the Rajarhat Bishnupur
Gram Panchayat (2 No.). Thereafter fifty households were visited in and around Jamalpara
Primary School.
A questionnaire had already been prepared. Most of the households were forthcoming in
answering the questions. Many did not have any ongoing litigation. Few had ongoing
litigation concerning land encroachment, property disputes, tenancy and domestic violence
issues. One of the households had a pending litigation for maintenance wherein they were
unable to stay in touch with their lawyer after the defendant had temporarily absconded. One
of the family had a juvenile matter wherein a boy was incarcerated after stealing a mobile
phone.

The villagers informed that they do not have adequate legal help nearby although they are
aware that some advocates do reside in their area. They informed that no such legal
awareness program was carried out in their area before. They expressed their willingness to
be a part of the legal camp to be organised on 22nd May, 2022.
Day Two: 22nd May, 2022
Community Care Legal Assistance (CCLA) Programme organised by Pro Bono Club
(PB Club)

The Community Care Legal Assistance (CCLA) Programme was organised by Pro Bono
Club (PB Club) at West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata under The
Ministry of Law and Justice’s Nayyabandhu Programme for the Nationwide Network of Pro
Bono Club Scheme (PBCS), Government of India on Sunday, 22nd May 2022 at Jamalpara,
Bisnupur, Rajarhat, West Bengal. The group of volunteers consisted of Research Fellows,
Doctorate Scholars, Research Assistant and Pro Bono Associates.

The event was organised on the ground of Jamalpara Primary School at Bishnupur (Rajarhat).
Around 200 individuals attended the awareness camp. It was started at 4:00 PM and
continued till 6:30 PM. The individuals who had responded to the preliminary survey also
turned up.

Dr. Sanjit Kumar Chakraborty, Nodal Officer, PBCS, WBNUJS welcomed the Panchayat
Members and Anchal Pradhan at the Podium.
The event started with Dr. Sanjit Kumar Chakraborty briefing the audience about citizen’s
legal rights. The audience were actively engaged with the information which was conveyed in
Bengali language. Dr. Chakraborty also spoke about property disputes and general family
disputes which might lead to litigation. He addressed the rights of women, senior citizens and
children. He also welcomed anyone with legal problem to address their doubt at the event or
visit the Pro Bono Club at West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata for
necessary help. In presence of the representatives of the Local Self Government Dr.
Chakraborty expressed the desire to adopt the village for rendering service under the PBCS,
and same has been agreed by the people present over there.

Thereafter Sanghamitra Baladhikari introduced the topic of women rights and violation of the
same. Somabha Bandhopadhay spoke to the audience about the law against domestic
violence and juvenile justice. Malobika Sen spoke about Legal Services available at district,
state and high court level. Kanchan Yadav spoke about Mediation and its utility. Soumya
Saha briefed the audience about their basic services that could be availed by the villagers
from the local bodies. Misti Saha concluded the event by thanking the audience and the chief
guests and summarising the entire events in brief words. At the end all the PBAs engaged in
discussion of various legal issues separately as mentioned by different individuals of the
locality. They are given necessary suggestions under the guidance of Dr. Sanjit Kumar
Chakraborty, Associate Professor (Law) and they were requested to visit the PB Club,
WBNUJS for further discussion and necessary steps.

NUJS LEGAL AID SOCIETY (LAS)

 VISION OF THE LEGAL AID SOCIETY, NUJS

The committee’s quintessential objective is to deeply engage with the society by creating
legal awareness and providing legal assistance to those who cannot afford it. The society
aims at conducting awareness camps, seminars and conferences to disseminate legal
information among the public. It also seeks to establish a network with various Non-
governmental Organisations, other law colleges and government bodies to work towards the
society and uphold the principle of “Access to justice for all.” The committee strives to
undertake various research projects to improve the conditions for the disadvantageous groups
of the society. Thus, the Legal Aid society performs preventive, remedial, activist and
reformative functions.
 REPORT FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2018- 2019

NIGHT CLASSES
Date: September 2018
Event Name: Nightly Classes
Venue: West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences
Number of Participants: 25
Report:
The Night Classes remain one of our longest-running successful campaigns only because of
the dedication and zeal of willing volunteers.
We have remained determined in our efforts to continue to deliver nothing less than our very
best to the mess workers with the help and support of students in this college. We have a long
tradition of organizing nightly classes for the staff who work in our college. These classes are
free of charge and are conducted by student volunteers. Students and workers are provided
with books, stationery and anything else they may need in order to pass their basic board
qualification exams.
We conducted night classes in the month of October and witnessed participation from people
across different batches.
With the help and cooperation of the volunteers we were successfully able to conduct classes.
A comprehensive course outline was prepared for every single subject that was being taught.
The workers were quite content with the quality of teaching.

TALK WITH MS. LARA JESANI

Event Name: Talk given by Ms. Lara Jesani
Venue: West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences
Date: 4th december 2018
Number of Participants: 60
Report:
Over the years, the NUJS Legal Aid Society has made an active effort to invite legal scholars
to talk about pertinent legal issues. Our conversation with Ms. Lara Jesani covered topics
ranging from the implementation of human rights legislations in the country, the Paris
principles, the system of appointments in the human rights commissions, the influential
nature of international human rights bodies, the power of the Right to Information Act, the
role of the media among many others.

DRAFT OF THE TRANS-POLICY

Event Name: Draft of the trans policy
Venue: West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences
Collaborating Agency: Gender and sexuality forum
Number of Participants: 18
Report:
In 2014, the Supreme Court delivered the famed NALSA judgment giving recognition of the
third gender in India. Following this, the University Grants Commission enacted a circular
requiring all universities under its canopy to strive towards creating a trans-friendly
environment on campus.
Bolstered by this mandate, the NUJS Legal Aid Society along with the Gender and Sexuality
Forum implemented the Trans-Policy Project in 2015.
We are one of the first few law schools to draft a policy for making the campus an inclusive
space for gender diverse persons. After holding consultations with transgender persons, we
prepared a final draft of the Trans-Policy in the year 2018. The same was tabled before the
authorities.

SHADHINOTA
Date: January 2018
Event Name: Shadhinota
Venue: West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences
Number of Participants: 17
Report:
The Shadhinota project was in collaboration with the Commonwealth Human Rights
Initiative. This project was launched in furtherance of the primary objective of the legal aid
society which is to aid those who cannot afford or access justice.
The committee aims to deeply engage with the society by creating legal awareness and
providing legal assistance to those who cannot afford it. The condition of the jail inmates is
deplorable to say the least. They are subjected to multiple human right violations. However,
due to the lack of available legal resources they are constrained and are compelled to live in
animalistic conditions.
The students involved in this project helped the CHRI via research and field work to meet the
goal of access to justice to inmates.
Students and faculty from NUJS did not only carry out legal research for the CHRI but also
made Court and jail visits to collect empirical data with the larger goal to address the legal
problems faced by the inmates. Not only did this project help hone their legal research skills,
it also sensitized
them to this issue.
CLOTHES DRIVE
Date: December 2018
Event Name: Clothes Drive
Venue: West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences
Number of Participants: 55
Report:
In furtherance of its aim of helping the marginalized sections of the society, The Legal Aid
Society organized an Old Clothes Drive in December 2018. Like every year, the Legal Aid
Society collected old clothes which were distributed to all helpers in college. Collection
boxes were available near
the girls and boys hostel lifts.
Throughout the course of this project, we reached out to students from all five batches in our
university (around 600 students) and encouraged them to donate any clothes that they were
not using anymore. These clothes were then sent to an organization which reached out to the
relevant stakeholders involved. The drive was an important outreach activity for us which
hoped to promote both sustainability and extend LAS’s fundamental objective of being able
to reach out to those who require our aid.

REPORT FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2019- 2020

NAME OF THE PROGRAMME: WORKSHOP ON ‘PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN A

DIGITAL ERA’
Number of students involved: 52
Dates of the event conducted: 31st August, 2019
Name of the collaborating agency: International Justice Mission, [email protected],
703-465-5495
Report of the event: As part of its collaboration, the NUJS Legal Aid Society along with the
International Justice Mission (IJM) organised a workshop for law students on the topic,
‘Protection of Women and Children in a Digital Era’ held at the NUJS Campus on 31st
August, 2019 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. The program, aimed at creating awareness
regarding the various nefarious crimes that take place over the internet that affect women and
children and the measures one can take to prevent them, was attended by over 50 law
students from NUJS. The role of IJM was to bring to bear its decades-long experience in
dealing with these matters first hand on the field. The event was graced by the presence of
Hon'ble Justice Bibek Chaudhuri of the Calcutta High Court, who has a long-standing
relationship with the University and Shri Varun Kapoor, IPS (Additional Director General of
Police, Indore Zone). Mr. Saji Philip, Director of Operations, IJM and Mr. Saptarishi Biswas,
Director of Justice Solutions, IJM were also present on the panel for the session, along with
Mr. Agnidipto Tarafder, the faculty advisor for the NUJS Legal Aid Society.

NAME OF THE PROGRAMME: READING CIRCLE ON THE TOPIC: NRC

Number of students involved: 20
Dates of the event conducted: 12th September, 2019
Name of the collaborating agency: Ms. Darshana Mitra, 91 80 2286 8757.
Report of the event: On 12th September, 2019, we held our very first reading circle of the
academic year on the topic of the NRC. The session was attended by students and faculty
alike. Various facets relating to the legal, historical and social aspects of citizenship and the
NRC were discussed in presentations made by members of the LAS. Ms. Darshana Mitra,
who is an expert on the subject and has vast experience dealing with such issues, was also
present for the session and gave us her valuable insight into the matter and guided the society
on our NRC project.

NAME OF THE PROGRAMME: PARICHAY, LEGAL AID CLINIC

Number of students involved:
Dates of the event conducted: 2 October, 2019
Name of the collaborating agency: NLUJA, NALSAR, NLUD, NLUO.
Report of the event:
The Legal Aid Society set up Parichay, which is a legal aid clinic with an aim to provide
legal assistance to persons excluded from the National Register of Citizens. The same has
been done through an unprecedented collaboration between NLUJA, Assam; NUJS, Kolkata;
NALSAR, Hyderabad; NLU Delhi; and NLU Odisha.
NAME OF THE PROGRAMME: OPEN DISCUSSION ON NRC-CAA-NPR
Number of students involved: 45
Dates of the event conducted: January 10th, 2020.
Name of the collaborating agency: Harsh Mander
Report of the event: LAS organised for an open discussion on the NRC-CAA-NPR with
Prof. Harsh Mander conducted on January 10th (Friday) from 5 P.M. onwards in the Moot
Court Hall. Prof. Mander is a renowned author, journalist, educator and a former IAS officer.
He has had a seasoned career as an activist for the causes of the underprivileged, authored
several books and regularly writes columns for multiple national dailies.

Name of the programme: Session on ‘Functioning of Foreign Tribunals

Number of students involved: 35
Dates of the event conducted: 17th January, 2020
Name of the collaborating agency: Aman Wadud
Report
On Friday, 17th January, 2020 (3:00 PM, Moot Court Hall), the LAS hosted Mr Aman
Wadud for a session discussing the functioning of the Foreigners' Tribunals in Assam. Mr
Wadud is an eminent human rights lawyer and provides support to people who are at risk of
being stripped of their citizenship rights in Assam. He is also an expert on the NRC and has
brought to light many lacunae that exist within the system.
Name of the programme: 2-Day National Conference on Citizenship Laws in India
Number of students involved: 50
Dates of the event conducted: February 22-23, 2020
Name of the collaborating agency: Cornell Law School Human Rights Clinic
Report of the event:
The LAS in association with Cornell Law School Human Rights Clinic organised a two-day
national conference on Citizenship Laws in India titled, Statelessness and the Right to Have
Rights, held on February 22-23, 2020. We will be focusing on the recent changes that have
taken place in India's citizenship jurisprudence, focusing on the impact of statelessness on
vulnerable groups, surveillance and citizenship, and legal aid and litigation. We have invited
eminent scholars, practitioners and activists to speak at the conference. Keynote speeches will
be delivered by Mr. Harsh Mander, civil rights activist and former IAS Officer, and Dr. Usha
Ramanathan, privacy activist and scholar.

NAME OF THE PROGRAMME: DRIVE TO INCREASE ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL HYGIENE

PRODUCTS

Number of Students involved: 20

Dates of the event conducted: 8th March, 2020
Name of the collaborating agency: Robin Hood Army, 9163712563.
Report of the event:
On 8th March, 2020, on International Women’s Day, the NUJS Legal Aid Society in active
collaboration with Robin Hood Army conducted a special drive towards increasing access of
underprivileged women to essential hygiene products empowered by contributions from the
students of NUJS. The Drive focussed on the distribution of sanitation items ranging from
soaps and sanitizers to sanitary napkins and were targeted at women living in the slums in
and around Salt Lake City, Kolkata.
8. Name of the programme: Webinar on the ramifications of Lockdown on Labourers.
Number of students involved: 37 Dates of the event conducted: 10th May, 2020 Name of the
collaborating agency: NLSIU Law and Society Network Report of the event: The NUJS
Legal Aid Society in collaboration with the NLSIU Law and Society Network, on 10th May,
2020, conducted a webinar on discussions surrounding the political and legal implications of
the Lockdown on the vulnerable workers of the country. In the context of a dwindled
economy and a major health crisis, daily wage earners in the unorganised sector as well as
low-income earners in the organised sector will require intrinsic legal safeguards for
livelihood sustenance.
REPORT FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2020- 2021
1. ONLINE LECTURE ON “LEGISLATIVE ASSAULT AND THE WAY FORWARD:

REIMAGINING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN INDIA”, BY ARMIN ROSENCRANZ

On 2nd August, 2020, In the backdrop of the highly contentious Environmental
Impact Assessment notification, the NUJS Legal Aid Society successfully organised a
two-part environmental lecture series titled - ‘Reimagining Environmental Justice in
India: Empathy, Resilience and Intersectionality’.
The first part of the lecture series was hosted by Dr Armin Rosencraz, founder at
Jindal Global School of Environment and Sustainability. He has taught at Berkeley
(1987-94) and Stanford (1994-2012). He founded and led an international
environmental NGO, Pacific Environment (1987-96). The Session was attended by 25
students in the online medium.

2. ONLINE LECTURE ON “REVISITING THE GODAVARMAN CASE: MARGINALISED

COMMUNITIES AND FOREST GOVERNANCE IN INDIA” BY MANJU MENON
On 16th August, 2020, the NUJS Legal Aid Society successfully held the second part
of the two-part environmental lecture series titled - ‘Reimagining Environmental
Justice in India: Empathy, Resilience and Intersectionality’. The second part of the
lecture was hosted by Ms. Manju Menon on the title, “Revisiting the Godavarman
case: Marginalised communities and forest governance in India.” Manju Menon is a
senior fellow at CPR, where she undertakes research, writing and community projects
on environmental justice and the politics of resource rights. She is the director at the
environmental justice program Namati. She has been a member of Kalpavriksh, an
environment research group since 2000. Manju has engaged with India’s
environmental laws and policies for over two decades. She has investigated legal and
social processes in the context of the siting, approval and regulation of mining, power
generation and construction projects in urban and rural contexts.
The lecture primarily revolved around the Godavarman case or the Forest case (1995)
of the Supreme Court that has influenced several facets of forest governance in India.
Through the course of the lecture, she focused on a particular set of solutions adopted
by the Court through this case to deal with the problem of forest loss in India. As a
part of this lecture series that seek an empathetic, resilient and intersectional green
regulatory framework, it was imperative to discuss this significant judgment. The
Session was attended by 50 students via the online medium.
3. SUNDARBANS CLIMATE JUSTICE PROJECT LAUNCH
In a historic transcontinental collaboration that year, the NUJS Legal Aid Society
entered into a tie up with collaborating agencies Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s
College London, as well as the School of Oceanographic Studies, Jadavpur
University, to carry out a grassroots project assessing the impact of climate change
among communities in Sunderbans. With this collaboration coming into being, we
planned to set-up ‘pop-up’ legal clinics to be staffed by volunteer students and other
legal professionals, who would collate data relating to various causes of ecological
concern, the level of damage caused and then triage complaints to different statutory
institutions at all levels. The collaboration was agreed upon over August to October,
2020. The pilot project field trip into the Sundarbans only occurred in mid-2021. In
January, 2021, 8 students were selected to be a part of the pilot project.

4. VAGRANCY PROJECT
Previously, the LAS had obtained crucial information on the state of vagrancy centres
in Kolkata through RTI applications, and this year, based on such empirical
information coupled with detailed constitutional research carried out by each of our
members, we have drafted an exhaustive PIL petition. The petition underwent two
stages of review, and Mr Kallol Bose of the Calcutta HC hosted a PIL-drafting
workshop for all LAS members to further guide the formation of the petition. This
project was carried out over the whole year. 6 students were involved in this.

5. CLINIC ACTIVITY
We received a considerable number of online legal queries this year, despite the
obvious limitations of not having walk-in services available and were successful in
providing legal assistance in the form of counselling and advice to the clients through
our panel of pro-bono lawyers. We hope to have our physical clinic restarted soon in
the upcoming future, and also restart the culture of organising legal aid camps in and
around Kolkata as soon as such is possible. This activity was carried out over the
whole year. 5 students were involved in this.