AIPA seeks a uniform policy to allow children of the locality after school hours to use playground of all the unaided private schools built on public land

ALL INDIA PARENTS ASSOCIATION (AIPA) AGARWAL BHAWAN, G.T.ROAD, TIS HAZARI, DELHI-110054 To Shri Kamal Nath Hon’ble Urban Development Minister Government of India Nirman Bhawan New Delhi – 110001 08 May 2012 Subject – Need to have a uniform policy to allow children of the locality after school hours to use playground of all the unaided private schools built on public land Dear Sir We wholeheartedly support the proposal of the Union Sports Minister Shri Ajay Maken to you to allow children of the locality after school hours to use playground of all the unaided private schools built on public land. It is submitted that at present there are as many as 394 identified unaided private schools to which public land on concession rates has been allotted by DDA or L & DO. Most of these schools to which public land was allotted during 1960’s and 80’s, one-third of the total land was apportioned for playground on payment of Re. 1 per annum as rent. In 1990’s, the land allotted for playground was fixed after the payment of nominal ground rent at Rs. 5000+120% enhanced per acre per annum. The land allotted for the playground was required to be used for playfield only and no structure of any kind over it was permissible. The concern, we wish to share, is that though public land was allotted to hundreds of societies for construction of schools but only in some cases, the letter of allotment contains a clause that the land meant for playfield would be allowed to be used in non-school hours by local children and the entry to the field would be from outside and not from inside the school. We are enclosing hereto copies of allotment letters of as many as five societies to whom land was allocated for construction of schools with a condition that they would permit children of the locality to use the playfields of the schools after school hours. The names of such societies are: 1) St. Lawrence Education Society, Sector-C, Pkt.-8, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi - 110057 2) S. Kirpal Education Society, ½, Jai Dev Park, New Delhi - 110026 3) Prince Public School Society, Budh Vihar, Delhi - 110041 4) Titiksha Academic Society, 122/18, Bhola Nath Gali, West Ghonda, Delhi - 110053 5) Shiv Shakti Educational Society, B-1193, Mongolpuri, Delhi - 110083 The allotment letters of all these societies contain the identical clause which is reproduced as under: “6.(A) The land meant for play field would be allowed to be used in non-school hours by the local children. (B) The entry to the field would be from outside and not from inside the school.” The sorry state of affairs is that such benevolent and child friendly stipulation does not appear in the letters of allotments to all the societies/schools. Therefore, there is a need to have a uniform policy for the schools in this regard; to incorporate this condition in all cases of the allotments of public land to societies/schools. It is needless to say that right to play is a fundamental right of every child. We, therefore, hope that you will personally look into this matter on urgent basis and ensure that such condition is not only incorporated in all the letters of allotments but is also implemented in its true letter and spirit to safeguard the rights of the children. With regards Ashok Agarwal, Advocate President, All India Parents Association M-09811101923