Lack of space leaves children with no playtime

The lack of space to play and complaints of noise from residents of his housing society leaves Rohit Nambiar, 15, to spend time at a video game parlour 15 minutes from his Thane home.

The lack of space to play and complaints of noise from residents of his housing society leaves Rohit Nambiar, 15, to spend time at a video game parlour 15 minutes from his Thane home.

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“Since there is not enough place to play, I enrolled for some classes to keep myself occupied. We rarely play games involving physical activities now, he said.

On April 23, six children between the ages of 12 and 13years were detained at the Vashi police station for playing cricket in their compound after Shruti Bhatt, a resident complaint against them.

“The children have been affected by the incident. There is fear each time my child goes out to play,” said the mother of a child who was detained.

The lack of open spaces has resulted in some cutting down on their outdoor activities and other simply avoiding stepping out. “Physical games are a natural stress buster for children, teaching them management skills. It is also important for a child to play regularly so as to be emotionally and physically healthy,” said Dr Anjali Chhabria, a psychiatrist.

Some housing societies have found solutions to keep everyone happy. Shakara Colony, Chembur has two designated play areas, of which one is big enough to play football or cricket.