The District sports Department is all set to tighten its noose around the swimming pool operators who are running the show without proper security equipment and even without proper licence to make the sports of summer, a real fun for the residents.
As per the information there are nearly 170 swimming pools in the city and out of which only 100 has been issued licence to run the swimming facility in the summer season. The remaining nearly seventy pools have not been issued licence. Though there are some swimming pools who have applied for the licence but because they are not fulfiling the mandatory norms so they have not been issued licence.
Talking about it Jagbir Singh, Coach cum Licence officer said, "I have checked the various swimming pools which are not fulfiling the mandatory norms, that's why they have not been issued licence too. But at this point of time residents need to really vigilant while getting themselves enrolled in any swimming pool.
Notably, as summers are here swimming is the most popular sport among the residents. Even most of the residential apartments have their independent swimming pools run by private contractors. But again it is mandatory to have licence from District Sports Department to run the same.
{{/usCountry}}Notably, as summers are here swimming is the most popular sport among the residents. Even most of the residential apartments have their independent swimming pools run by private contractors. But again it is mandatory to have licence from District Sports Department to run the same.
{{/usCountry}}While admitting the fact Kulwinder Singh, District sports officer said, "Yes, sometimes the private contractors do not understand the importance of all these things, which are extremely important. And if anywhere any swimming pool without licence is operational we organise raids and seal them. In 2009 we sealed two swimming pools and this year too we are planning to organise surprise raids," he said.
In April last year, a public association was directed to pay a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the family of a man, who died in its swimming pool in 1998. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission also partly allowed the appeal of the family of VK Ajmani, the victim, asking the association to shell out Rs 25,000 as cost of litigation.
Forty-three-year-old Ajmani, a tax lawyer and a resident of Bank Enclave, New Delhi, drowned in the pool on May 9, 1998, between 4pm and 4.30pm. The lifeguards on duty brought him out of water and tried to revive him but without success. He was declared "brought dead" at RML Hospital.
A bench headed by Justice RC Jain ordered the association, which has already paid R1.10 lakh to the victim's family, to pay the balance amount of Rs 4.15 lakh.
To avoid any such incidents, the authorities want to be strict this time.