Residents of AC Guards are fighting to save their neighbourhood playground from encroachments allegedly being made by a few locals.
The Bhisthiwada Youth Sports Welfare Association has appealed to the GHMC to identify encroachments and remove them to preserve Sanjay Gandhi Play Ground that serves not only as a place for playtime but is also used to train children in various sports including hockey.
The office-bearers of the association claim despite efforts in the past, in cooperation with district administration, the playground remains under threat of encroachment from the locals.
In a reply to an RTI query, the GHMC had stated that there were as many as 17 encroachments on the playground. In February, office-bearers of the association complained to the GHMC that another encroachment was underway, prompting a visit from the municipal authorities. However, the matter reached the court and the GHMC was asked to file a counter before taking any action on the ground. It could not be immediately ascertained if the GHMC had filed its counter.
Meanwhile, the ground’s patrons rue that big chunk had already been lost and call for immediate fencing of ground after removal of squatters and other encroachments.
“We visited the ground just a few days ago and noticed the encroachments which are clearly visible,” a GHMC official said on Sunday. He added that further action would become clear in the next few days.
