The death of a trainee swimmer at the Hedua pool has raised questions about the safety measures adopted by swimming clubs in the city. Sangeeta Das, a first-year postgraduate student, was in the middle of her 16th swimming lesson at Azad Hind Bagh Mahila Samity when she drowned on Tuesday. Metro visited three swimming clubs in the city on Wednesday afternoon to find out the safety measures followed by them

Indian Life Saving Society (Anderson Club), Dhakuria Lake

Almost all safety measures suggested by experts are followed. The two training areas for novices are cut off from the pool meant for seasoned swimmers. In each of the two pools for novices, 60 learners train in every batch. Each pool had eight trainers in the water and another eight who kept an eye on the trainees from the pool edge. Experts feel the trainee-trainer ratio should be 1:4. At Anderson Club, it is 1:3.75. All the trainers have life-saver certificates. The water is cleaned regularly.

Clubspeak: “We are one of the two organisations in India that offers a life-saving course. But people who pass out from here mostly join the hotel industry. Hardly anyone joins a swimming club,” said Amit Bose, vice-president, Anderson Club.

Sailendra Memorial Swimming Club, College Square

This is one of the seven swimming clubs functioning at College Square. As many as 25 novices were being trained under the supervision of only three men. Another man was standing on the edge of the pool, from where only one section of the training area was visible. None of the trainers is trained in life-saving skills. The bed of the pool for novices — comprising two sections, 3.5ft and 4ft deep — is not cleaned regularly. Novices may slip on the algae on the bed and fall unnoticed.

Clubspeak: “We charge minimal fees and try to offer the best facilities. If we charge a higher fee, many of the local children may not afford to train here. Our trainers are sincere,” a club official said.

Vidyasagar Swimming Coaching Centre, near Amherst Street

The training area is cut off from the main pond. Novices and small children train in the part where the depth varies between 2.5ft and 3ft; the depth of the other part varies between 3ft and 5ft. For 60 trainees there are eight trainers — a ratio of 1:7.5. The club has a chlorine plant for cleaning the pool surface. Chemicals are also used to prevent algae formation on the bed. The trainers are not armed with life-saving skills.

Clubspeak: “Yes, trainers should have life-saving certificates. Earlier, we used to have such trainers. We are planning to send some of our trainers for the course shortly,” said Salil Chakraborty, president 
of the club.

Reporting by Rith Basu; pictures by Bishwarup Dutta