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| Dearth of swimming pools explodes official claims | | Developing sports infrastructure in JK | | Majid Nabi
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Sept 7: The slack approach of the government to construct swimming pools in the state has ruptured its tall claims of developing sports infrastructure here. With a population of 1.30 crores, Jammu and Kashmir which receives lakhs of tourists every year has not a single public swimming pool so far.
Kashmir valley despite having water bodies in abundance, the government till now has hardly done anything to promote swimming in the valley. What is more ironical is that there were only two swimming coaches in the valley who for many years taught the swimmers the art of swimming, but both of them have attained superannuation now.
During the past many years people in Srinagar were learning swimming in open lakes, rivers and ponds but due to increasing pollution in these water bodies' people hardly allow their children to learn swimming in these vulnerable water bodies for the reason that a drop of polluted water, swallowed by a child, might prove costly for his health.
In the recent past Kashmir valley has not produced any swimmer who have competed at any national forum courtesy the non-availably of the required infrastructure in the valley. And at present there are only two pools in the valley one in Biscoe School and another one in Delhi Public School. From the year 1984 not a single person from the valley has ventured into this profession. Yusuf Mandoo and Omer Rafiq are the only two veteran swimming coaches of the valley both of them have done Diploma in Coaching (Swimming) from National Institute of Sports Patiala Punjab. Omer completed his diploma in the year 1978 while as Yusuf completed the same in 1984.
In late 60's Kashmir valley had a very good swimming pool in Amar Singh College, however the college authorities removed the same for reasons best known to them.After Farooq Abdullah was re-elected as chief minister in 1996 he promised making swimming pools in Srinagar the summer capital of Jammu And Kashmir State but nothing was done in this direction. The government then had decided to construct a public swimming pool near Burn-Hall missionary school but due to the internal strife in NC ranks the plan couldn't be implemented on the ground. The National Conference MLA's then pitched for constructing the pools in their constituencies due to which the dream of having swimming pool in the valley remained a dream only. |
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