Civic gyms out of shape

The GHMC’s much-hyped project to launch community gymnasiums is in the doldrums for various reasons. While the very arrival of equipment sourced from various manufacturers takes unduly long time, the indifferent attitude of corporators has virtually scuttled the project.

A sum of Rs 2 lakh towards gym equipment has been sanctioned by the GHMC to 150 corporators; yet the community gymnasiums have not seen the light of the day in most areas.

The GHMC’s condition that the floor space required to set up gyms in various wards should be identified in the existing area earmarked for community halls has backfired. Some corporators are finding it difficult to start gyms in community halls. M P Sriram Chander, corporator, Sultan Bazaar, said, “We have four community halls, but all are in bad condition. We are undertaking repairs using the corporate budget. We are unable to start the gym and we have not yet taken the equipment from GHMC.”

If some corporators are unable to start gyms, others like Habeeb Zain, corporator, Shivrampally, had to make four visits to the GHMC before getting the equipment. He said, “We received the equipment in stages and it’s just two months now since we got the complete set. We are running the gym in Hasan Nagar community hall.”

Low budget Many corporators who received the equipment said that the budget was not enough. AR Prasanna Kumari, corporator, Yapral Division, distributed equipment to four youth clubs in her division. She said, “We divided the equipment into four parts and gave it to Yapral Evergreen Youth Club, Vallavar Nagar, Kowkoor and Yapral Kindi Basti.” Dorai Raj, a resident of Yapral, said, “The GHMC’s gesture is good, but when the equipment is divided among so many clubs, it does not serve its purpose.” Likewise, Mariamma, corporator, Defence Colony and Syed Babu, corporator of Mothi Nagar, 119 Division, also distributed the equipment to several clubs.

Lack of awareness

Lack of awareness among corporators is to blame, say informed citizens. Raman, a resident of Old Alwal, said, “Many corporators are unaware of the schemes. Many are first-time corporators.” Syed Babu says, “Many corporators still think that GHMC is just for engineering works and confine themselves to it. One can do much more work if one interacts with the Town Planning, Revenue, Health and Sanitation wings. It is sad that many do not attend the awareness programmes conducted by GHMC.”

While the equipment is lying unused in several wards, there are issues relating to its distribution to several youth organisations, thereby diluting what could have been a successful project. S R Premraj, Director of Sports, GHMC, says, “Ninety per cent of the equipment has been distributed to corporators. We are awaiting more equipment and the remaining also would be distributed soon.” Elangovan, a former body builder and resident of Ammuguda, says, ‘The sum of Rs 2 lakh is too less an amount to set up a proper gym. Moreover when the equipment gets distributed among many clubs, nobody benefits.”