Jab Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) ne below-normal monsoon ki wajah se rise huye city ke water crisis ko kam karne ke liye swimming pools band karne ka faisla announce kiya, uske turant baad Vinay Marathe, jo ek national swimming coach hain aur jinhe Maharashtra govt ka Shiv Chhatrapati Award mil chuka hai, ne PMC ke House Leader Ganesh Bidkar ko ek patra likha. Marathe, jinhone kai national & international level ke Indian swimmers ko training di hai, ne kaha ki civic body ko iss decision ko reconsider karna chahiye.
Unhone letter mein likha, “Swimming pools mein lagbhag 4 lakh se 5 lakh litre chlorinated paani hota hai. Agar swimming pools band kar diye jaate hain, to kya is treated paani ko seedha sewer mein baha diya jana chahiye? Yeh chlorinated paani kheti, peene ya gardening ke liye istemal nahi kiya ja sakta, kyunki ismein 1–2 parts per million (PPM) chlorine hota hai. Iska ekmatra practical purpose swimming ke liye hi hai.”
Marathe ne The Indian Express ko bataya ki maujooda paani sankat ka hal swimming pools ko band karna nahi hai. Unhone kaha, “Agar shehar ke swimming pools se 2 lakh se 5 lakh litre tak paani nikaal diya gaya, to badi samasya khadi ho sakti hai. Baadh aa jayegi. Swimming pools ka paani roz nahi badla jata. Paani ko filtration aur circulation ke through baar-baar use kiya jata hai, aur ek pool ko har week sirf lagbhag 10,000 litre fresh water top-up ke roop mein chahiye hota hai.”
Marathe ne kaha, “Hum PMC se aane wale paani ki supply band karne ke liye taiyar hain, kyunki hamare paas lagbhag sabhi pools mein apne borewell hain, jinse 10,000 litre paani ki zaroorat poori ki ja sakti hai. Hum pool ke paani ka top-up borewell ke paani se kar sakte hain.”
Isse pehle 2018 mein, Devendra Fadnavis ki govt ne bhi isi tarah ka nirdesh jaari kiya tha. Marathe us delegation ka hissa the jo is mudde par Chief Minister se milne ke liye Mumbai gaya tha.
Marathe ne kaha, “Unhe lagta tha ki swimming pools mein paani waste ho raha hai. Lekin jab humne unhe samjhaya ki hum paani ko dobara istemal karte hain, to unhone apna aadesh wapas le liya tha.”
Marathe, jo Champion Club ke proprietor hain aur jinhone 2001 mein ek fitter population banane ke vision ke saath iski sthapna ki thi, ne kaha ki agar zaroorat padi to woh dobara Chief Minister se milne ke liye taiyar hain.
Marathe ne aage kaha ki swimming pools logon ke liye bahut faydemand hote hain kyunki swimming ek complete body exercise hai.
Unhone bataya, “Kai buzurg logon ko, jinhe ghutnon ya kamar ki samasya hoti hai, doctors aqua therapy ki salah dete hain. Paani mein chalna aur anya exercises unke ilaaj ka hissa hoti hain. Agar swimming pools band ho gaye, to aise mareezon ko pareshani ka saamna karna padega. “Unhone yeh bhi kaha ki swasth log bhi poore saal fitness aur exercise ke liye swimming karte hain, isliye pools ko band karna kai logon ke swasthya aur fitness routine ko prabhavit karega.
Swimming coach ne kaha ki competitive swimmers poore saal training karte hain aur is time June end se start hone wali District Meets, State Meets aur National Meets ki taiyari mein lage hue hain. Unhone kaha, “Agar swimming pools band kar diye gaye, to in swimmers ki saari mehnat bekaar ho jayegi.”
Letter mein unhone likha, “Jo log pehle se swimming jaante hain, woh duniya ki sabse behtareen full-body exercises mein se ek ka anand le sakte hain, aur jo swimming nahi jaante, woh is mauke ka istemal ise seekhne ke liye kar sakte hain. Yeh paani bachane ke saath-saath physical fitness ko promote karne ka sahi time hai.”
Unhone aage kaha, “Agar log apna time swimming mein bitayenge, to gharon aur housing societies mein paani ki khapat bhi kam ho sakti hai.”
Is tarah Marathe ne apne letter mein yeh dalil di ki swimming pools ko band karne ke bajay unka samajhdari se upyog karna chahiye, kyunki isse water conservation ke saath-saath logon ki health aur fitness ko bhi fayda mil sakta hai.
