THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Swimming pool users at Vellayambalam are angry with sports and youth affairs department officials for not reopening the pool. Officials, who cited a water shortage, have no excuses now during the monsoons, they say. The Vellayambalam swimming pool under the sports and youth affairs department was shut for a long period – for work – before the 35th National Games was held in Kerala. But unfortunately the work could not be completed and all the swimming-related events were shifted to the International Aquatic Complex at Pirappancode.
The pool was opened recently after a hue and cry by swimming lovers in the capital city and agitations by them. Kerala Water Authority had begun water rationing on April 18 but the pool functioned until May 2. A central Government employee who resides at Muttada here told DC that a majority of pool users agreed to the decision taken by the sports and youth affairs department to close it when city dwellers were facing acute water shortage. “But now even after the South West monsoon has begun, the sports and youth affairs department is still sleeping. The other day a few of us found the pool without a drop of water. The staff there told us that the pool was closed under the guise of water shortage but the real reason was that a leakage had been spotted”, said a pool user.
He also said that he was paying Rs 1,200 as monthly fees. However, summer camp students have been paying Rs 4,000 towards two months fee and they have been unable to utilize the facilities at the Vellayambalam swimming pool. However, a pool management official belonging to the youth and sports affairs department told DC that they were planning to open the pool soon. He denied that there was a leakage in the pool. Sports and youth affairs director, Sanjayan Kumar was unavailable for comments.
