he trainers are ready so as the students to be trained for swimming. Only, there is nowhere to get that training going.
Fire and Rescue Department’s novel initiative to train students of government schools in swimming has run out of steam, thanks to inaccessibility to swimming pools or safe and hygiene waterbodies.
For instance, the fire stations at Gandhi Nagar and Club Road had to stall the training after a swimming pool of a private club at Thammanam was declared out of bounds. “We had started the training for two batches of 12 students each before we were forced to wound up. Now, we are waiting for some clubs or institutions to give us access to their pool,” said a department official.
While the project could not be launched in Angamaly and Perumbavur fire station limits owing to lack of access to swimming pools, 20 students were trained at Tripunithura in a temple pond.
“Parents are not comfortable about sending their children for training in such circumstances and it’s only understandable, as it’s not as safe as swimming in a pool,” an official said.
In Kothamangalam, two batches of 30 students were trained in a canal, which cannot be used now as the water level had dropped following the opening of shutters of Bhoothathankettu dam. A fire official pointed out that even otherwise it was not safe to depend on major canals along the eastern parts of the district where the water current could be unpredictable. Some fire stations also cited the shortage of manpower for not being enthusiastic about the training.
The fire stations at Thrikkakara, Piravom and Muvattupuzha were fortunate in that they could conduct the training in proper swimming pools of private clubs and a school.
The government has set apart funds for the training and transportation of students and even to give them snacks on training days.
It was not safe to depend on major canals along the eastern parts of Ernakulam district.
