Pune: Officials of Sahakar Nagar police have booked the contractor managing the swimming pool at Taljai for negligence after the death of 21-year-old Praful Wankhede, who drowned in the swimming tank on Sunday evening.
As per information by Police Sub Inspector Rakesh Sarde who is investigating the case, the contractor who goes by the name ‘S Karan’ has been booked in the case for negligence. “Praful had gone for swimming with his two friends. Later a person while swimming, found Praful’s body in the pool. Praful was declared dead after he was taken to a hospital. As the lifeguards failed to do their duty, we booked the contractor in the case of death due to negligence,” added Sarde. The police said the cause of death could not be ascertained after autopsy and Praful’s viscera has been preserved for chemical analysis.
Following the incident, the pool was closed down and the civic body sent a show cause notice to the contractor running Taljai swimming pool.
Officials of the civic administration said the pool has been closed down. Mayor Mukta Tilak has ordered that notices be sent to all pools run by the corporation and a security review be taken.
This is the second incident of drowning in Taljai swimming pool, as in 2011, a 24-year-old man drowned in the same pool named Swapnil Pravin Gangurde, who was resident of Super Indira Nagar, Bibvewadi.
While speaking to Sakal Times, Mayor Tilak said, “In the backdrop of Sunday’s incident, I have instructed land estate officials to take a review of pool security and check whether contractors are following rules and regulations as mentioned in the contract.”
Anil Mulay, Deputy Commissioner of the corporation who has additional charge of Land and Estate Department said, “While signing the contract for running the pool, the corporation mentioned all rules and regulations which have to be followed.”
There are more than 200 swimming pools in the city, of which 25 are owned by the civic body. Private pools include the pools located in housing societies, hotels, educational institutes, sports complex and commercially run pools.
As per rules mentioned in the corporation rules and regulation, the corporation has put the onus on the contractor if any casualty occurs in swimming pools. The corporation can terminate the contract if contractors are not following the rules. As per rules, the contractor should appoint one lifeguard per 20 persons. Contractors also have to take written affidavit of person’s family who is under 18 years old before he has joined swimming.
