The two municipality-run swimming pools in Salt Lake are in dire straits. While the one opposite Mayukh Bhavan was formally inaugurated on January 2 the one in CJ Block was declared open on January 25. Both the pools were opened to the public on April 20.

But in less than a month, both pools have been closed for maintenance after the civic body received complaints from swimmers that the water was unfit for swimming. 

A notice put up at the entrance of the Bidhannagar Municipal Sports Academy swimming pool on April 28 declared the pool shut for five days (as reported by The Telegraph Salt Lake on May 1). But swimmers were surprised to find the pool shut even on Monday. It is supposed to reopen today.

“This is very frustrating if they keep the pool shut without notice. I wake up early especially for swimming. I do hope they come up with a solution for the water,” said Arunabh Paul, an IT professional who stays in Karunamoyee. 
The CJ Block pool too has been shut from May 4 to 8. On Monday, The Telegraph Salt Lake found dead insects floating in it, not to mention fallen leaves. Even then, the water is less dirty than that in the sports academy pool. 
On Wednesday, the sports academy pool was still a murky green mess. Dust and algae had settled on the floor and one of the maintenance workers was heard commenting that even the ponds in Duttabad looked cleaner in comparison. 

“The problem in both these pools is that the water is too saline and is heavier compared to other parts of the city. Moreover, as both the pools were opened in a hurry proper treatment of the water could not be done,” said a member of the maintenance team.

According to another expert in swimming pool management, the borewell depth is not adequate.
“The borewells have been constructed without consulting the depth reports. The well at the sports academy pool is at a depth of 470-ft and is drawing out only salty water,” the expert said. Pawan Kadyan, the sub-divisional officer of Salt Lake who is also the custodian of both these swimming pools, is confident that swimmers will be able to dive in today.

“We could not filter the water because the pumps had failed. The water is turning green here as there is iron content and efforts are on to rectify the situation,” Kadyan said on Wednesday.

The civic-body is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the water is made fit for swimming. While a swimming pool maintenance team has been pressed into service it is also using water revitalising rods in a bid to clean the water fast.

“We require at least 10 days to treat the water. It is in really bad state. I am not surprised that people complained of rashes and red eyes after swimming here,” said Debesh Choudhury, a member of the maintenance team.

One of the regulars feels that the pools are going the Hedua way. “After a point, nobody wanted to swim in the Hedua pool because locals would wash utensils in it. It seems that both these pools are headed that way because if a pool earns a bad name at the time of the opening itself then it never manages to take off,” said a swimmer who did not wish to be named.