HYDERABAD: The modern swimming pool at Ameerpet, maintained by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), has been closed due to shortage of water. Hundreds of people, who used to have a splash in the pool, had to return dejected following its abrupt closure five days back.The GHMC has been forced to close the pool due to the non-supply of water by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board.Other swimming pools at Secunderabad, Vijayanagar Colony, Amberpet, Sanathnagar, Chandulal Baradari and Moghalpura too are on the verge of being closed as the water board has stopped supply of water to them as well.The GHMC is reportedly running the pools with either borewell water or with “illegal” water connections. The pools allegedly have more than one water connection. The GHMC has been requesting the water board to send water tankers for filling up the swimming pools but the latter dashed off a letter to the civic body asserting that it was in no position to do so and suggested that it make alternative arrangements.The water board, in its letter, pointed out that the HMWS&SB Act No. 15 of 1989, Chapter-IV, Clause -24 (d) clearly indicates that “supply of water for domestic purposes shall not be deemed to include swimming pools, public baths, fountains or tanks or any ornamental or mechanical purpose.”The water board’s contention is that it’s not against sparing water tankers for the pools but that their priority is meeting the huge demand for drinking water. To be fair, the water board has stopped sending tankers to big commercial and bulk customers. Its decision has helped in meeting the demand to some extent.The GHMC officials admit that existing water in the swimming pools is turning bad with each passing day. Everyday, thousands of people take a splash in these pools and they get polluted within no time.
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