Residents' groups back Maken move on playgrounds

New Delhi, May 17 (IANS) Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) in the capital have extended support to Union Sports Minister Ajay Maken's proposal to throw open private schools' playgrounds to neighbourhood children.

"Most of the private schools in Delhi have been allotted land at throwaway prices. Delhi Development Authority while allotting prime land to these schools had a provision in the agreement that land will be given for religious and social functions as well as to neighbourhood children for playing," Anil Bajpai, president, RWA Federation of East Delhi, said in a statement.

He said part of the agreement was kept hidden and never implemented.

"Maken has just brought out the provision to the fore and wants union urban development ministry to get it implemented," he said in the statement.

"Most of the private schools are utilising the sports grounds on commercial basis by leasing them out to sports academies," he said.

Last week, Maken had written to Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath highlighting the non-availability of playgrounds to a large number of children in Delhi.