MULTAN: Local swimming pools and tube wells situated at adjacent areas of the city can turn into corona hotspot as public gathering amid violations of corona virus standard operating procedure (SOPs) foiling all efforts of the government to control virus spread.

As the temperature started crossing 40C from last few days, the locals moved towards the swimming pools and tube well in adjacent areas of the city. A large number of people can be seen bathing in these small size swimming pools and tube wells which were being operated by residents and farmers after paying fee to them. The visitors of these sites violating corona SOPs by not wearing face masks and proper cloths while bathing in these pools.

A citizen namely Muhammad Umer while talking to APP on Sunday informed that he was visiting these places twice a week for bathing which provide him a sigh of relief from the scorching heat. He said that he was a salesman of a private company and used to travel different areas on motorcycle during the hot weather daily. He said that bathing in these tube wells and small swimming pools was cheaper as he has to pay Rs 50 for bathing in tube well and Rs 150 in small size swimming pool.

A tube well owner Farman Shah informed that they usually operate tube well to provide water their corps and people came for bathing. He said that he had never refused anyone from bathing but never charged fee from them.

However, another swimming pool owner Hameed Hussain said that he was running the business from last few years but his pool has been closed from last year due to corona virus. He said that many people contacted him for booking of pool but he refused by keeping in view the ongoing situation of the deadly virus.

On the other hands, many people mostly youngsters in shape of groups used to book the small size swimming at Rs 2000 per hour. However, the district administration and concerned departments should make a proper mechanism to control such kind of SOP violations. There must be proper planning to visit outside areas of the city for ensuring implementation of corona virus standard operating procedure.