Mumbai: Did you know? BMC takes no responsibility for swimming pool mishaps

The facility in Goregaon where Vishnu Samant, 72, was fatally injured on April 23

Enthused by the Rs 20 crore generated by its swimming pools last year, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) recently opened two more such facilities, at Malad and Dahisar. Yet, no stress seems to be placed on safety despite these pools witnessing a number of accidental deaths, drownings and spinal as well as brain injuries. In two and a half months, two members died while two others were severely injured. But, the civic body callously maintains that it ‘shall not be responsible for any accident/accident in the swimming pool area'.

The bereaved families, however, ask, if not the BMC, who is responsible for accidental deaths and injuries? The civic body runs eight swimming pools. Sources at these facilities told mid-day that most of the lifeguards are inexperienced and are incapable of rescuing members during emergencies.

Renuka Koli, who had a heart attack in a pool at Chembur on April 4 (right) A M Shaikh received 26 stitches after an injury on February 26

A source said, "A member pays the BMC for using the pool, but the municipal corporation appoints a contractor who facilitates lifeguards. If a facility requires, say, 10 lifeguards, the contractor deploys only three or four on the ground but the money claimed by the contractor is for 10. Senior civic officials are aware of this corruption but they are tight-lipped for reasons best known only to them."

Also Read: Mumbai: BMC pool opened on April 1 in Malad is drunken dip party venue

The source added, "Above all, I know a few lifeguards who did not even know how to swim. But the contractor appointed and deployed them at these pools where they themselves learnt how to swim. How will a lifeguard rescue people if he does not know how to swim? Naturally, members' lives are at risk at pools where inexperienced lifeguards are deployed."

The source further alleged that corrupt contractors are flourishing at the mercy of senior civic officials who have been earning brownie points as the pools have been a financial success. "The municipal corporation must look into providing better facilities to members at swimming pools instead of looking at pools as moneymaking tools. Human life is important and the senior officials must learn this," the source stated.

The source stated that all swimmers are susceptible to accidents due to wet and slippery floors, but no arrangements are seen at facilities, barring at a few places, to prevent people from slipping despite the annual fees being hiked by 10 to 20 per cent, said the source.

"Above all, if a person gets injured or faces health issues or other emergencies inside the pool, these facilities do not have even a stretcher to carry the person to an auto-rickshaw. They don't have an ambulance, doctor or first aid kit. These are not important for civic officials. They only want fees from the members," added the source. The source also stated that due to faulty pool designs, members often get head injuries, as they overestimate the depth.

Goregaon
A 72-year-old Goregaon East resident, Vishnu Samant, died around 5 pm on Sunday evening after a man accidentally dived into him in the Ozone Swimming Pool. The family alleged that the staff rushed him into an auto-rickshaw as the facility lacked an ambulance service. The manager stated that no swimming pool in Mumbai has an ambulance facility.

The civic-run facility in Goregaon where Vishnu Samant, 72, was fatally injured on April 23

The deceased was a resident of Churiwadi. The Goregaon police have registered an FIR against the diver, Kaushik Shukla, 20, for negligence. However, no action has been taken against the pool management. A family member of the deceased told mid-day, "We received a call informing us that Vishnu had been injured and he was admitted to Kapadia hospital. When we reached the hospital, he found that he had died."

The relative added, " Vishnu was rushed to the hospital in an auto-rickshaw. Ambulances should be kept on standby in case of emergencies at every pool. The pool management has been negligent. The instructors or lifeguards are equally responsible because they didn't guide the person while he was diving into the pool."

Chembur
A 61-year-old Chembur resident, Renuka Koli, fell unconscious after she had a heart attack while swimming inside the General Arun Kumar Vaidya Swimming Pool on April 4. Her husband Gajanan Koli was present at the time. Two lifeguards jumped into the water and rushed her to the hospital, via auto, where she was declared dead. Gajanan had retired seven months ago. His wife had been suffering from high blood pressure for the past five years.

Chembur
A 53-year-old Ghatkopar resident A M Shaikh was injured in the same swimming pool where Koli had a heart attack, on February 26. He received 26 stitches to his head after a man dived into him from a height of three floors. Shaikh alleged that the pool management didn't inform the police about the incident and the latter refused to register an FIR against the former. Shaikh told mid-day that he was rushed to the hospital by his friends as nobody else came forward to help him.

He said, "The swimming pool is owned by the BMC but is run and maintained by a private contractor. When I was getting out of the pool, a man landed on me. I fell unconscious in the pool and I don't remember what happened next. But, my friends at the pool told me that they rushed me into their car and admitted me to the Savla Nursing Home at Chembur. The doctors performed skull surgery."

He added, "I complained to the BMC and also approached the Chembur police station about the incident after I recovered but they didn't register an FIR. The swimming pool management and hospital also didn't inform the cops about the incident. I am hopeless. I want to meet the civic chief and wanted to explain my situation. The BMC should take all the responsibility." Shaikh stated, "There was no ambulance, doctor or medical equipment. I have suffered a lot and am still in pain. I complained many times to the BMC but received no response."

Akansha Deshmukh, a manager at the pool, said, "It was Shaikh's mistake. After he dived into the water, Shaikh started swimming towards a corner of the pool but he then headed to the middle and that's where the accident took place. It was his mistake. We took him out on a stretcher until a car arrived. He was saved but received Injuries."

Asked why the management didn't inform the police about the incident, Deshmukh stated, "It was just an incident and he was saved. Because of him, the other person was also injured. They both don't know each other and everything happened by accident because of Shaikh's mistake. Why should we complain when it's his mistake? We don't have an ambulance but we also ordered one and it will come soon." Shaikh said, "The allegations are false. The instructor is responsible for checking if anyone is in the water. Only after verifying should he give the green signal for diving. It's total negligence."

Dadar
On February 15, around 6.10 am, 76-year-old Pramod Sarangdhar fainted while swimming at the civic-run pool at Shivaji Park. As there was no ambulance on standby, members had to stop a cab and request a woman who was occupying it to get down. Fortunately, Sarangdhar recovered fully as he didn't have any medical complications.

BMC speaks
When asked about the absence of medical facilities at civic-run swimming pools, Deputy Municipal Commissioner Kishor Gandhi told mid-day, "There are no doctors at the pool, and the numbers of lifeguards and swimming coaches depend on the number of members of the pool. We have been providing facilities like swimming pools, toilet bathrooms, what else?"

He added, "Two new pools (at Dahisar and Malad) have been opened recently. In Dahisar, there are 1,580 members while in Malad, 1,110 have enrolled to date," said Gandhi, who refused to talk about why swimming pools lack ambulances, stretchers and many other potentially live-saving facilities.

April 23
Day last death occurred in civic pool

8
No of pools operated by civic body