<p>"In the absence of parks and playgrounds, the schoolchildren are forced to watch television...the government should create such facilities here (in Shimla)," Vipasha, a Class 5 student, wrote in a two-page letter.<br /><br />"Today Shimla is a concrete jungle with no parks, open spaces or grounds for children, forcing them to remain glued to television, which we know is not good for our health," she added.<br /><br />Taking cognisance of Vipasha's letter, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Rajeev Sharma Saturday asked the government to respond on the matter.<br /><br />The high court has listed the matter for next hearing Oct 28. Planned for a maximum population of 16,000, the Queen of Hills, as Shimla was fondly called by the British, now has more than 200,000 residents.<br /><br />High-rise buildings and other development projects have gobbled up much of its green patches, besides leading to the problems of water scarcity and parking.<br /><br />At present, there are 187 buildings in Shimla, each having more than five storeys. These include a 12-storey commercial building being constructed by Jagson International Ltd and an eight-storey building of the Oberoi group's five-star hotel Cecil.</p>
<p>"In the absence of parks and playgrounds, the schoolchildren are forced to watch television...the government should create such facilities here (in Shimla)," Vipasha, a Class 5 student, wrote in a two-page letter.<br /><br />"Today Shimla is a concrete jungle with no parks, open spaces or grounds for children, forcing them to remain glued to television, which we know is not good for our health," she added.<br /><br />Taking cognisance of Vipasha's letter, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Rajeev Sharma Saturday asked the government to respond on the matter.<br /><br />The high court has listed the matter for next hearing Oct 28. Planned for a maximum population of 16,000, the Queen of Hills, as Shimla was fondly called by the British, now has more than 200,000 residents.<br /><br />High-rise buildings and other development projects have gobbled up much of its green patches, besides leading to the problems of water scarcity and parking.<br /><br />At present, there are 187 buildings in Shimla, each having more than five storeys. These include a 12-storey commercial building being constructed by Jagson International Ltd and an eight-storey building of the Oberoi group's five-star hotel Cecil.</p>