City parks, schools should open their play fields for children: Maken

New Delhi, May 7 (ANI): Sports Minister Ajay Maken on Monday urged the Urban Development Ministry led by Kamal Nath to allow the usage of unused land of city parks and schools in the national capital for the purpose of children's play fields.

Maken asked the ministry to ensure mandatory use of playfields allotted by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) even during non-school hours.

"All parks and recreational areas inside Delhi 20 to 30 percent share of the land should be ear marked and should be developed as an open play field. If this is done then our children will get place to play with out any one being disturbed," he said.

Maken highlighted that schools land for school building is allotted on perpetual lease at relatively higher payable costs, the land for play fields is allotted on temporary basis on payment of nominal ground rent.

"The government has provided play fields to schools on licensed fees and has not allotted variant rates like for other things. So when the land for play field has been allotted on licensed rates, so the government and children of the neighbourhood also have rights on the ground. Only the schools don't have rights of ownership on land acquired through licensed rates," said Maken.

"And if schools are not rightfully using that land and are preferring to have it deserted when children don't places to play. I feel it is injustice with that place and also with the children who are being devoid of using the play ground," he added.

Maken further said that the government should make provisions for mandatory use of play fields in all schools, where land has been allotted by DDA to be used by the local children in the vicinity of up to three kilometers during non-school hours as well.

He added that entry to play fields in schools can be kept from outside to avoid trespassing. (ANI)