THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM district committee staged a dharna in front of the Kerala Water Authority office in Vellayambalam on Monday demanding an early repair of the swimming pool, which has been lying trenched for the last two years. The dharna was against the backdrop of the delay being made by the officials in the Water Authority and National Games committee in repairing the swimming pool which was dug up for renovating the structure to hold the swimming events of the 35th National Games.
The dharna was inaugurated by former international swimmer K Aloysius. He said that instead of blaming the governments, information should be sought on what led to the destruction of a pool which was used by the public for many decades.
Addressing the gathering, CPM district secretary Kadakampally Surendran and V Sivankutty MLA criticised the inactivity on the part of the Water Authority in renovating the the only government-owned swimming pool in the heart of the city.
The leaders also charged that the lethargy of the Water Authority was based on some vested interest.
They alleged that a private club in the city earns ` 3.5 lakh as daily fees charged from the users of their swimming pool in summer.
CPM Palayam area secretary A A Rasheed, first woman swimming trainer of the pool Komalam, Swimming Pool Users’ Association president Prof Prasanna Kumar, swimming referee S Rajeev and district committee member E G Mohanan also addressed the gathering.