Pune boy severely hurt in PMC pool; fourth case in a month

PUNE, May 18: Ten-year-old Bhasin Kulkarni's passion for swimming has given him a severe gash and a painful ordeal with the plastic surgeon....

PUNE, May 18: Ten-year-old Bhasin Kulkarni8217;s passion for swimming has given him a severe gash and a painful ordeal with the plastic surgeon. The Vincent School student has reportedly become the fourth case in the last 30 days to suffer serious cuts from broken tiles at the Pune Municipal Corporation run Shahu Tank. Bhasin suffered the cut when he went for a swim on May 14. When he jumped into the water, one of his legs was caught between the rail put up for learners and the side wall of the pool which has sharp-edged broken tiles. In a struggle to free himself, his ankle was badly hurt with severed nerves and muscles and a two-inch wide and one-inch deep cut. He had to undergo a major operation at the KEM Hospital.

8220;The pool needs maintenance as the tiles on the sides have broken resulting in sharp edges,8221; says Pradeep Kulkarni, Bhasin8217;s father.

Dr Suryakant Kulkarni, plastic surgeon at the KEM Hospital, when contacted, said this was the third such case which had been referred to him in a month.

The100 by 50 feet Shahu Tank, with its nominal monthly swimming fee of Rs 75 for students and Rs 112.50 for others has long been an attraction for enthusiastic swimmers and learners from Bhawani Peth, Nana Peth, Somwar Peth and Camp. In their excitement, children as well as their parents fail to notice that almost 20 feet area along the length of the pool on the deep side is lined by broken tiles, their sharp edges jarring threateningly into the water.

Parallel to the broken edges, conspicuously between the tiles lining the side of the pool runs a safety rod, which learners often grip with their hands or feet, to practise. 8220;These tiles were broken by children and some drunk adults in the past two months,8221; says a PMC employee, requesting anonymity. 8220;The quality of people coming to the pool cannot be regulated because the fee is very nominal at Rs 5 an hour,8221; he adds. The PMC reportedly spent Rs 12 lakh to repair the pool six months back and a fresh application regarding the broken tiles has been sent to theGarden Superintendent Yeshwant Khaire.