Joshwa D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Mar 31: The Mangala Stadium swimming pool has been closed for a month following complaints of unhygienic water that had caused serious threat to children. After the public repeatedly complained to Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC), the officials finally decided to take up annual maintanence work of the swimming pool from March 28.

The pool will remain closed for a month and is expected to open for the public from April 28.

As per the schedule, the maintenance was supposed to take place in August 2015, but for months together, the pool was untouched and young children began facing problems such as allergy and other skin issues. To add to it, the chlorinated water emanated foul smell, making it impossible to swim in. Several people then demanded that the pool be cleaned.

Now, finally, MCC commissioner H N Gopalkrishna has instructed the officials concerned to carry out the maintenance work.

The maintanence work will include:

1. Cleaning of chlorine tanks.
2. Repair and service of chlorine pumps.
3. Servicing of the valves.
4. Ensure quality of the purified water.

Speaking to Daijiworld, deputy director of the ministry of youth affairs and sports and in-charge officer of the Mangala swimming pool Ramesh said that as there were continuous complaints from the public about the foul smell, the pool has been closed for maintenance. "Due to various reasons, we could not carry out the maintenance in August 2015. Hence, we are now doing it, keeping in mind the hygiene and health of the public.

"At present we're focussing on issues that have to be addressed urgently. A lot of major works have to be taken care of and they will be done according to availability of funds," he added.

As per sources, the tiles of the pool need to be changed as they are more than twenty years old. There are also a few machineries in the pool which have to be replaced every few years.

Public-friendly pool

Most of the batches are reserved for the public. One batch is reserved for women, while two or three are reserved for professional swimmers for practice. Most of the people who come regularly are the annual/monthly pass holders. There are also many kids who have enrolled themselves for the summer training camp and were coming to the swimming pool with their parents. Now with the pool closed for maintanence, some of them expressed disappointment at the timing.

Notwithstanding its present condition, the swimming pool is said to be of Olympic standard. Many swimming talents who were trained in this swimming pool have made it big in the state and national levels. There are also many young talents who are being trained here.