Bengaluru: Swim centres show concern as government issues closure due to Corona

Picture used for representational purpose only

Bengaluru: Swim centres and coaches show concern as the government has ordered the closure of pools on Friday. Gyms too were ordered to be shutdown but later it was allowed to function with 50% capacity.

The swim centres with coaches hoped that the rising temperature would attract people and they would make up for last year’s loss. “It feels like the lockdown is haunting us again. If this is the way things are panning out, it’s all over for us. We cannot take a second blow. I do not have the reserves to pay my staff any longer”, said Nihar Ameen, head coach at Dolphin Aquatics.

SR Sindia, vice president of Karnataka Swimming Association states that it is unfair that the pools are being singled out. He says, “When other sectors are given the leeway to operate, why are swimming pools selectively targeted? I challenge the government to show a single case traced to a swimming centre. Members are actually calling the association to express their anger for not taking any action to keep pools open. The association is taking a strong opposition against the government’s order. We will protest if we have to.”

According to the fitness centres, the move to shutdown gyms were “illogical” and “senseless” because they were just beginning to recover from the lockdown loss. “There is a big misconceptions that fitness centres increase infection to spread. I believe the second wave is far more dangerous. With 50% occupancy, we will tighten the health protocols, sanitize equipment after each use and ensure people maintain physical distancing”, says Surendra Kedia, founder of Reset, a holistic fitness centre.

AV Ravi, president of The Karnataka State Gymnasium and Fitness Owners’ Association, has planned to submit a letter to CM urging a relief package. He states that around 3,000 in the state have been shutdown due to the pandemic. He says, “We support the goverment’s call to follow strict protocols in gyms. However, livelihoods of many trainers and gym staff are being lost.”