After 8 people hospitalised, corporators raise questions on maintenance of such swimming pools by civic body
The gas leak happened at the swimming pool in Priyadarshini Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, Mulund
A gas leak incident at a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)-run swimming pool in Mulund has led to corporators across parties raise questions on the maintenance of such pools. They have also demanded immediate action against those responsible for the incident, which has landed eight people in hospital. However, when asked about it, additional commissioner Vijay Singhal said he would reply only after getting all the information about the incident.
Vishakha Raut, leader of the House in the BMC had raised the issue of the gas leak at the swimming pool in Priyadarshini Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, Mulund. Eight people — a firewoman, a female coach, two security guards and four housekeeping staff — faced breathing trouble when chlorine gas from the filtration plant started to leak on Wednesday evening. A security guard had sensed the leakage and informed officials, who then alerted the fire brigade. The injured were later admitted to BMC-run Agarwal Hospital, where they are undergoing treatment.
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"Even though a major incident has been averted, it's a warning signal for the BMC. The complex is 28 years old and a number of people from Ghatkopar to Mulund use the swimming pool. Despite this the maintenance is not proper," said Raut. She added that it was the same problem with the Gandhi swimming pool. Even though the civic body charges R8,000 from each person using the pool, it hardly provides any facility, she said.
"BMC's negligence is responsible for the gas leakage. It does not care about maintenance of swimming pools. Will the administration wake up after someone dies?" asked Ravi Raja, leader of the Opposition. Local corporator Samita Kambale informed the House that the incident happened just after a batch of children and women completed their session.
"What would have happened if the leakage started a couple of minutes earlier?" she asked. Kamble alleged that the civic body and the complex's administration were responsible for the incident. "All swimming pools run by BMC are in a miserable condition," alleged Rakhi Jadhav of Nationalist Congress Party. Mayor Kishori Pednekar has ordered an enquiry in the matter.
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