Govt school alumni approach HC to save their childhood playground

CHENNAI: In a move to safeguard a school playground that added so much merriment to their childhood, five alumni of a government school located in Sendamangalam of Namakkal have come together and approached the Madras High Court with a plea to restrain the government from acquiring the playground for constructing a court complex.

The first bench of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice N Mala to hear the public interest litigation filed by Dr Balaji Murugesan, K Senthil Kumar, T Manavalan, A Navshad, and P Muthubalaji.

Although the petitioners are from different walks of life, unease gripped their minds when they heard that their school ground will be taken over for the construction of the court complex.

Speaking to DT Next, Balaji Murugesan who has completed his M.V.Sc., and working as an independent veterinary surgeon said that his school has been functioning since pre-independence day and was developed over the years with the participation of the general public.

“Though our school was small when it was launched in 1946, with the donation and contribution by the public in means of land and others, it emerged as a Government Boys’ Higher Secondary school. The Indian Constituent Assembly member TM Kaliannan made our school a board high school in 1955. In 1958, our former CM K Kamaraj sanctioned additional buildings. With 22 acres, our school uplifted several students from the marginalized sections, ” Murugesan recalled.

According to them, in the total 22 acres of the school ground, four acres were taken for Block Development Office Taluk office and Adi Dravida welfare hostel.

“While there are several other poramboke lands available, the government has decided to acquire around 3 acres of our school ground. The move of the government has trembled us. Thousands of aspiring athletes coming from underdeveloped nearby villages are relying upon this ground for their practices. If it was taken away, their athletic future will turn gloomy, ” the petitioners added.