KOCHI: In a major effort to settle civil disputes through mediation at the grassroot-level, Kerala State Mediation and Conciliation Centre (KMCC) and Kerala State Legal Services Authority are launching a pilot project where Community Mediation Volunteers (CMVs) will be selected and trained to mediate disputes. The pilot project will be implemented in Ernakulam district on a trial basis after which, it will be expanded across the state based on its success.
Various social, cultural groups and religious groups including organisations like Nair Service Society (NSS), Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP), Muslim organisations, resident associations, flat owners society and Kudumbasree Mission will be roped in under the project.
“We are launching the project in a big way in Ernakulam. All civil disputes mainly property issues will be handled by CMVs who will be trained to assist the disputing parties in arriving at a mutually acceptable solution,” said KMCC director and judge Johny Sebastian.
He said the CMVs were purely voluntary assignment and they will work in association with Community Mediation Centres run by Sponsoring Social Organisation (SSO). “A three-day training programme for the CMVs will begin here on August 20,” he said.
Individuals or groups with having any sort of conflict can approach the CMC, after which their issues will be brought before the volunteers. Preferably graduates aged between 25 and 55 with good reputation in society are selected as CMVs after being nominated for training by SSOs.