People from
Margao, Fatorda and adjoining areas have flayed the Government of Goa for having misplaced
their priorities as far as sports infrastructure is concerned. The swimming
pool of Margao located opposite Ravindra Bhavan which is the only swimming
infrastructure of Government of Goa operated by the Sports Authority of Goa
(SAG) is in dire conditions and awaiting much needed attention of the
government.
Many people from
Margao Fatorda and nearby areas come to the swimming pool every morning for a
swim. The pool had all the necessary requirements available for swimming, in
the initial years. However with the infrastructure is crumbling and attention
needs to be paid to put it in order. Sources from the swimming pool operation
informed Herald that the water in the swimming pool has never been changed till
date. They also told that there are 2 filtration units at the swimming pool of
which one is completely nonfunctional and the other filtration unit is
malfunctioning and is not doing the job.
Some of the people
who regularly come for swimming at the pool told that the government has
misplaced its priority is as far as swimming is concerned and they are playing
with the health and well being of the people coming to the facility. The
visitor also told that there is no maintenance of the the pool being carried
out for a long period of time now. The showers at the swimming pool are
stinking, the bathrooms not cleaned. There is no cleaning staff appointed here.
When one enters the water there should have chlorine which is absent at the
swimming pool.
Dixon Vaz who is a
regular swimmer here said “The SAG swimming pool is totally neglected from the
time it’s built, the maintaince is zero and water is unhygenic. The tiles under
the water are broken and missing the changing rooms, shower and bathrooms are
filthy dirty” Dixon told while adding that. “Many ladies and female kids hesitate
to swim or practice due to lack of ladies coaches. Overall the whole pool and
building is in a bad shape due to the negligence of the SAG” told Dixon.
William Dominic said
“The pool is a very good facility but only if it was maintained well on time”
he said.
Meanwhile, despite
winning several medals for the state of Goa in skating the skaters of Margao
have been for over a decade deprived of proper skating track. The skaters have
been demanding for a official skating ring of Sports Authority of Goa since
2008. The skaters lose very important practice time during the monsoons as they
presently practice on the open tarred parking lot of SGPDA market. A parent of
a skater Tejal Khanolkar told “We have been requesting for a proper skating
track since 2008. Verbal submissions and memorandums too have been given. But
we haven’t got any success” she told.
The
existing costly facilities at the SAG ground too seem to be ignored by the
Authorities. In the morning one can witness men entering the multi-crore
artificial turf football ground by bending the guard fencing. It has continued
for years with no control. Even the swimming pool open viewing gallery is used
as a dating spot and other non sports activities. The people have urged the
government to divert their attention to the crumbling infrastructure.
