Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta on Tuesday drew the attention of Lt Governor Anil Baijal towards the plight of gym owners and urged him to allow opening of the fitness centres in the city.
In a letter to Baijal, the BJP leader noted that the livelihood of nearly one lakh people has been affected due to the closure of gyms.
“The economic activities are resuming gradually, but the health and fitness industry is closed in the city. There are around 5,500 gyms that employ nearly one lakh people. They are facing financial problems because the gyms are closed,” Gupta said in the letter.
The Delhi BJP president also said that there are around 4,500 small and medium level entrepreneurs whose livelihood has been affected due to shutdown of the health and fitness industry.
“I request you to consider the financial losses, and grant permission for opening of gyms as per the Centre’s guidelines, he said in the letter.
The gym owners were on Saturday detained by police after they staged a protest near the Lt Governor’s office, demanding permission for reopening of the health and fitness centres in the city.
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) had in a COVID-19 review meeting last week approved opening of hotels and weekly markets, but did not allow gyms to reopen.
“We want to request the Lt Governor to allow reopening of gyms because it affects the livelihood of over one lakh people who are employed in this medium scale industry in Delhi,” Chirag Sethi, vice president, Delhi Gym Association had said.
The association had also argued that the gyms in neighbouring states were allowed to open and no spike in COVID-19 cases was recorded due to this, expressing willingness to strictly follow the government guidelines and preventive measures against coronavirus.
The gyms have been shut down in the national capital since the imposition of nationwide lockdown in March to check the spread of coronavirus.