Sunday ko Alwal mein ek 18 saal ki ladki ke swimming pool mein alleged drowning ke baad, Telangana mein private swimming pools ke liye dedicated regulatory body ki kami par sawaal uthne lage hain. Pool owner aur swimming coach ke against negligence ka case register kiya gaya hai.
Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) shehar mein 14 government swimming pools manage karta hai, lekin clubs, hotels, gated communities aur apartments mein chal rahe 100 se jada private pools par safety compliance monitor karne ke liye koi authorised body nahi hai. Filhaal, safety ki poori responsibility sirf private pool owners par hi hai.
Telangana Swimming Association (TSA) ke state secretary G Mahesh ne in facilities mein safety practices ko lekar gambhir chinta jataayi hai. Unka kahna hai ki kai owners basic maintenance par toh dhyan dete hain, lekin qualified lifeguards rakhne ya life-saving equipment tainaat karne mein laparwahi karte hain.
Senior swimming coach Mahesh ne kaha, “Sports Authority of India (SAI) se certified trainers aur lifeguards jada salary maangte hain, kai pool operators kharcha kam karne aur profit margin badhane ke liye saste aur unqualified staff ko hire kar lete hain. Kuch cases mein toh koi coach ya lifeguard hota hi nahi, jabki rule ke according keval ek swimmer pool mein ho tab bhi lifeguard ka hona mandatory hai.”
Unhone yeh bhi bataya ki unqualified staff ko aam taur par ₹10,000–₹15,000 per month diye jaate hain, jabki certified lifeguards aam taur par ₹30,000–₹40,000 ki salary maangte hain.
Is beech, experts ne kaha ki lifeguards ki sankhya pool ke size ke proportional honi chahiye. Ek standard 50-metre pool ke liye aam taur par lagbhag 6 lifeguards ki jarurat hoti hai, jabki 25-metre pool mein kam se kam 3 ya 4 duty par hone chahiye. Unhone yeh bhi note kiya ki kai private facilities ke underqualified lifeguards ke paas proper CPR aur emergency response training nahi hoti.
“Duty par maujood sabhi lifeguards ko CPR aur basic life support mein certified hona chahiye, aur regular intervals par refresher training bhi leni chahiye. Yeh kisi bhi swimming facility ke liye minimum safety standard hai. Lekin, kai private pools is essential requirement ko pura nahi kar rahe hain,” Mahesh ne aage kaha.
Alwal case mein, jabki exact cause of death post-mortem report ke release hone ke baad hi pata chalega, police ne kaha ki pool ka CCTV footage dikhata hai ki victim achanak hi collapse ho gayi jab woh 3 feet gehre paani mein khadi thi.
Police ne GHMC ko bhi letter likha hai taaki yeh check kiya ja sake ki pool legally operate ho raha tha ya nahi.
Is beech, GHMC ke officials ne clarify kiya ki sirf municipal pools hi civic body ke purview mein aate hain, aur inmein lifeguards aur lifesaving equipment ka proper arrangement hota hai. Unhone warning di ki kai gated communities mein ground-level pools hote hain jahan chhote bachche aasani se slip karke doob sakte hain.
“Hum gated communities mein building permissions ke through kuch control exercise kar sakte hain, private pools ko govern karne ke liye koi clear-cut rule nahi hai. Agar kisi ke private property par pool hai, toh safety regulations enforce karna mushkil ho jaata hai,” GHMC sports wing ke ek official ne kaha.
Is beech, Banjara Hills ke ek private swimming facility ke manager N Rakesh ne kaha ki responsible operators already strict safety protocols follow karte hain, lekin unhone uniform regulation ki jarurat bhi maani. “Hamare pool mein, hum ensure karte hain ki certified lifeguards hamesha present ho, staff CPR mein trained ho aur swimmers ko continuously monitor kiya jaaye. Lekin, ek city-wide mandatory guideline ki jarurat hai taaki har private pool same safety standards follow kare,” unhone kaha.
Experts ne municipal authorities se appeal ki ki woh safety norms establish karne aur regular inspections conduct karne mein lead lein, aur warning di ki agar stronger oversight nahi hui, toh private pool safety mein gaps continue karke risks create kar sakte hain.
