Students write to PM for playground

JAIPUR:Students THE SCHOOL HAD A GROUND OF ITS OWN BUT WAS ACQUIRED BY THE HOUSING BOARD IN 2005; FLATS CAME UP THERE LATER

of a government school in Jaipur’s Shyopur village are writing postcards everyday to the Prime Minister for the past 10 days, seeking a playground at their school.

The students have been spurred by Jan Morcha, a Jaipurbased organisation that raises civic issues. Jan Morcha’s president Rajendra Patel said the students have been sending 100 postcards to the PM’s office every day since December 30, 2017.

The principal said the school is surrounded by houses and does not have a playground. “Some students and their guardians are writing to the PM, but I can’t say how many of them are writing,” said Renu Bhatt, principal of Rajkiya Uchch Madhyamik Vidyalaya, Shyopur, which has over 700 students on its rolls.

“There is no ground in the school for us to play on a daily basis. We request you to keep our requirement for a playground in mind and issue directions for provision of the same,” Deepak Lalwani, a Class 11 student, wrote to the PM.

The school had a ground of its own but was acquired by the housing board in 2005; flats came up there later. “Land was to be given for playground in lieu of the land acquired, but it was never given. The schoolchildren have no place to play,” said Patel.

The Jan Morcha had given an oral representation to the PM’s office in January 2016, following which the request was sent to the Rajasthan chief secretary for ‘action as appropriate’.

The Jaipur Development Authority sought details from the school regarding the requirement in April 2017, but no action was taken by the body after that, the principal said.