The Times of India 19.08.2010
Goregaon school loses playground to BMC
MUMBAI: The BMC has taken away a plot that the Vibgyor High School students used as a basketball ground. A few days ago, a BMC demolition team visited the ground in order to reclaim its property.
"According to our plans, that space on the Link Road was supposed to be utilised for a pay-and-park facility for the public. After objections from locals, we had to drop the idea for a while. The School was simply using the property even though it had no authority over the space,'' said Bhagyashree Kapase, assistant commissioner (Goregaon-W). She also added that they have not yet decided what the space will be used for but the property is now under the BMC.
Principal Shim Matthew, however, claimed that the school had permission to use that space as their playground. "Even though it was BMC property, we had the permission to use it, so we built the basketball court for our students. It has now gone back to the civic body, so it can do what it wants with it,'' he said.
The ground was also used for parking schoolbuses. The principal refused to comment on the provision of another ground for his students, which, as per the guidelines provided by the government, is one of the essential facilities a school needs to provide.
"That was the only ground the school had and now, our children have no ground of their own. No place to go during their recess or after school hours. We are hoping that the management will soon find a way out and manage to find a ground nearby for the children,'' said a parent whose daughter studies in Std VII.
