Pune: Gym owners demand to reopen fitness centres, protest held outside PMC building

Mehab Qureshi

Pune, June 17, 2020: Pune Fitness Club Association (PFBA) today organised a protest outside the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and demanded the state government allow the gym owners to resume in Pune. Even after submitting the memorandum to the Pune Divisional Commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar, there was no response.

Therefore, the gym-owners, directors and trainers conducted a march on the bridge near Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in the morning today and walked past the PMC building. Almost 450 people participated in this protest today, which ended at noon. The protesters were holding posters displaying ‘SAVE FITNESS INDUSTRIES, SAVE TRAINERS’ and ‘WE ARE DYING’.

Abdul Salim Ansari, director of PFBA, said, “Reopening gyms will only increase immunity and help people fight against the deadly virus.” Talking about the preventive measures, he added, “We will ensure that the gyms are sanitised regularly and that social distancing is maintained. People will be allowed to come only in different batches. We will also increase the housekeeping staff to sanitise the equipment.”

“It has been two months that we are paying salaries to all the staff members with zero income. Additionally, we are still paying electricity and rent bills. Therefore, we have requested the PMC to at least provide some guidelines regarding reopening, but it seems they are not even responding to our queries now. This protest today was merely a trailer. Such protests would continue and in large numbers. We want justice, and we want it right now,” said Nilesh Kale, president, PFBA.

“We aim to develop awareness among all people on the urgency of opening fitness centres and facilities, as exercising helps boost and improve our immune system. It is said that COVID-19 profoundly affects people who are suffering through Obesity, Diabetes, and other illnesses, which the Fitness Centres help to battle. Is it not wrong to close the centres that work for the betterment of society and their health, and open liquor shops that ruin the health of society to a very large extent?” stated a social media initiative started by Kale, Rupesh Chavan, Maharashtra Shree and Vice President Pune Fitness Club Association, Abdul Salim Ansari (Mr World, Mr Asia, Mr SouthAsia, Mr India, M.D Reps Fitness Pune) and Rahul Kadam (Mr Asia, Mr India, Mr Maharashtra).