WHILE I know that the people are already suffering from several ailments owing to poor air quality and contaminated water, my recent visit to a so-called ‘water park’ ended in even more apprehensions about health safety.

When I entered the water park, it was extremely overcrowded. There was literally no place to sit, and all the pools were full of people. By around 11.30am, I noticed the water colour had changed, and it had become extremely dirty.

Although we were a group of 10 people and had spent Rs10,000 for using the facility, we decided to leave it within an hour of our entry. When we approached the staff to request a refund, they made excuses and sent us from one person to another.

Moreover, every staff member we came across, from the clerk to the public relations officer, was uncooperative and rude. We were told that they would not refund the money. Unfortunately, this attitude also revealed poor customer service at these ‘water parks’.

The government should ensure that such water parks allow entry to people in limited numbers. These operators are just too greedy, interested only in minting money and not bothered in the least about people’s health, and the service quality at their outlets.

In fact, the dirty water poses a great risk to the people. Who will be responsible for infections transmitted due to unhygienic conditions at these facilities, even after charging people heavily? The licences of such water parks should be cancelled if they fail to provide adequate services.

Zaid Pirzado
Karachi

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2024