The Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC) move to build another swimming pool is drawing flak from civic organisations and general public.
With the cash-strapped GMC giving the nod for construction of another pool adjacent to the existing one at Ravindra Nagar, eyebrows are being raised over the manner in which funds collected under Building Penalisation Scheme (BPS) are brazenly misused.
Proposals sent
The GMC has sent proposals to build another swimming pool at a cost of Rs.3 crore, out of which Rs.1.25 crore is being taken from the BPS funds and another Rs.1.75 from the general funds. The State government even issued a GO to this effect.
At a time when the civic body is struggling to create infrastructure, that includes laying roads, providing drinking water and electricity to the rapidly expanding colonies the decision to squander the tax payer’s precious money into construction swimming pool is drawing flak from the civil society.
“How can the GMC act so brazenly? Look at the potholed roads and poor maintenance of flyovers in the town. The city is plagued by poor drainage system and the traffic chaos is driving the people mad. Can’t the GMC spend the money on developmental activities in the slums? Half of the extension colonies do not have basic infrastructure,’’ said Avagahana secretary Konda Siva Rami Reddy.
Defends move
The GMC defends the move by saying that an international class swimming pool is the need of the hour since the existing pool does not suit the bill for hosting international and national swimming championships.
“We are planning to build a pool with a dimension of 15 X 24 metres. Swimming as a sport will receive a fillip with the development of a new pool. The city needs sporting infrastructure too,’’ says DE, GMC, Nagesh Babu.
Sports lovers too toe the line of the GMC. “Though I am personally against squandering the tax payer’s money into purposes other than creation of infrastructure, as a sports lover, I welcome the move to lay a swimming pool,” says Lal Vazir, president of NTR Walkers Association.
