RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, July 25: Ladau Kachhap, who sacrificed his life for the implementation of the PESA Act in Jharkhand, was paid tribute by his family members on Monday.
Born on January 16, 1937, Kacchap was sitting at his shop at Karra Chowk in Khunti when three assailants, who were against the empowerment of Gram Sabha, shot him dead on July 25, 2004.
People still remember Kachhap as a man who played an important role in strengthening the Gram Sabha in Jharkhand after he retired from army service in 1994. He was a warrant officer in the Army Postal Service.
His son Shyam Sunder Kacchap who resides in his native village Masmano with his mother and younger brother Suresh Kacchap informed about the family programme saying that with the passage of time, people have started forgetting his father but those who are closely associated with the soil of Jharkhand still respect him.
Asked about the fate of those who had shot dead his father, he said all had been killed.
The Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 or PESA Act is a law enacted by the Government of India for ensuring self-governance through traditional Gram Sabhas for people living in the Scheduled Areas of India. It was enacted by Parliament in 1996 and came into force on 24th December 1996.
