Dr. Nitin Turaskar, immediate past president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Bhandara, is actively involved in various issues of public concern as well as being a practicing laparoscopic surgeon. Recently, he moved the Supreme Court after failing to secure a favorable order in the British-era Munroe School courtyard case from the high court. Alumnus of Munroe, this is not the first time that Dr. Turaskar has knocked on the doors of the judiciary to save the playing fields. He is fighting for another playground right in front of his hospital in Bhandara. In an exclusive interview with TOI, he talks about how lifestyle diseases are increasing among children due to the disappearance of playgrounds. Excerpts … Q. What makes a doctor fight for a schoolyard? A. I am a former student of the Munroe School. It is a historic structure built in 1885 as per the incision on the roof tiles. As a petitioner, I had informed the high court about the prevalence of diabetes in adolescents and how India would soon become the diabetes capital of the world. This is mainly due to the reduction of spaces for physical activities for the young population. In 2007, a nice playground was developed at the cost of Rs 62 lakh by the state government in front of my hospital. It was reserved for girls, but the local authority began renting it for purposes other than sports. In addition to being a surgeon, I am also a radiologist. I have observed that one in three girls has polycystic ovary disease (PCOD). This affects their menstruation, facial hair growth and weight gain. They face problems after marriage and also during conception. We don’t see children playing these days. When playing, the body system allows for the absorption of glucose. Type II diabetes is now seen in children due to d-deficiency i exercise. For this we need open spaces and sufficient sunlight. People who stay indoors for a long time become vulnerable to osteoporosis and osteopenia. Colleges or schools should have playgrounds and students should be able to play. Now, b More cases of Munroe and the girl’s playground are in the top court. Q. But doesn’t the local authority provide alternative land for Munroe? A. People were struggling with the pandemic but, strangely enough, 69 shops were sanctioned on Munroe School premises. We led the protests and eventually moved the HC. Schoolchildren are now deprived of about 2 acres of playground. The respondents presented before the court that students can play at Dassra Maidan which is 400 meters from the school. A truck passes by every minute, putting the safety of schoolchildren at risk. Also, Dassra Maidan is actually a jungle of zudpi, while children need a proper playground to keep fit and healthy. The ordinance of April 19, 2022 states that Dassra Maidan has been entrusted to the school and that the ZP has been authorized to carry out the commercial complex project. Q. What is the impact of the disappearance of the playgrounds from the school premises? A. In his book “Reversing Heart Disease”, Dr. Dean Ornish coined the term “exercise deficiency disorder”. Somewhere I read: ‘Health is not primarily a matter of doctors and hospitals. It is a question of social justice ”. If you are healthy, you can enjoy the privileges of life. Diabetes among children is just the tip of the iceberg. The disappearance of playgrounds is increasing lifestyle diseases among children. In this way, there are many aspects of our health. In India, every twelfth individual is diabetic. These figures were published by the Union Family Health and Welfare Ministry. This it is a major health concern. The economic burden of diabetes alone, given the population of our country, is enormous. The economic burden of treating diabetes complications may be beyond belief. If we consider a small district like Bhandara which has a population of 12.5 lakhs, according to MOHFW data, about one lakh of people in the district is said to be diabetic. If we consider that each person is spending around Rs 2,000 per month on antidiabetic and related medications then Rs 1.00.000xRs2.000 = Rs 20 crore is spent on a monthly basis in a small district like Bhandara. Annually, it is Rs240 crore. Q. Do you mean that schools have to offer something more than teaching? A. It’s time to wake up. The British who built such a beautiful monument as the Munroe School in Bhandara were visionaries. They realized that daylight should reach every class so that schoolchildren should have healthy bones and teeth. It is indeed a pity and cause for concern that in the name of pseudo development we are destroying not only open spaces or school playgrounds, but we are also devaluing such a heritage structure. We sell properties earned by our ancestors at the expense of health. This should be stopped immediately in the general interest of school children. Generally, sportsmen are spotted and fed on the school premises. The athletic potential of children is observed by teachers at school. Future footballers or cricketers come through the Subroto football tournament or the CK Naidu Trophy cricket for which the journey begins at school level.
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