Withdraw tender, demand children

Withdraw tender, demand children
Bangalore,dhns:
Hundreds of children from economically backward classes came out on the streets in a protest against the tender notification for infrastructure development of Bal Bhavan by private parties, on Tuesday, a day before the Childrens Day.

The Bangalore Forum for Street and Working Children, Jawahar Bal Bhavan Employees Union, freedom fighter H S Doreswamy, President of PUCL, Karnataka Hassan Mansoor joined the children in the protest and demanded withdrawal of tender for privatisation of development and maintenance services, in a memorandum submitted to the Governor.
The activists also demanded free or subsidised entries to poor and special children, sanction of funds for Bal Bhavan in the State budget, its maintenance to continue by the Department of Horticulture and BBMP, mobilisation of resources, protection of the rights of Bal Bhavan workers and development with the support of Department of Education and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
Privatisation move
“The State government has invited tenders from private parties for infrastructure development of Bal Bhavans at Cubbon Park, Jayanagar, Rajajinagar, Coles Park and Jeevan Beema Nagar. This is the first step towards the privatisation of the recreation and learning centre for poor children. Once the place goes into the private hands, why will they follow the instruction from the government on its policy decisions,” said I S Patil, Convener of the forum.
“The Bal Bhavan Society wants to develop the place on the lines of the children’s amusement park at Singapore. Let them do it but not at the cost of the rights of poor children or at the cost of the workers at Bal Bhavan,” said Chairperson of Trade Union Co-ordination Centre, GR Shivashankar.