Lambi gyms remain shut, Badal seeks info

What the villagers allege

• The issue came to light when some youths demanded that a gymnasium hall be built in the area
• Then the CM got suspicious as he had sanctioned a gym during his last visit
• There are some villages in Lambi which have got more than two gyms
• Some villagers said the gymnasiums were rarely found open. The equipment is lying unused and rotting away, they say
• Others even alleged that influential people in the villages had taken the machines to their houses for personal use

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Lambi (Muktsar), August 21

Even though Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has granted a lot of funds for the setting up of gymnasium halls in villages, most of these are never found open.

The CM on Wednesday got suspicious and asked the District Sports Officer (DSO) to prepare a list of villages where gyms had been set up and the pending demands of the residents.

The issue came to light when some youths demanded that a gymnasium hall be built in the area. Then Badal got suspicious as he had sanctioned a gym during his last visit.

There are some villages in Lambi which have got more than two gyms. Some villagers said the gymnasiums were rarely found open. “The equipment is lying unused and rotting away,” they said.

Some villagers even alleged that influential people in the villages had taken the machines to their houses for personal use. A senior officer in the district administration also confirmed this. A youth from Gurusar Jodha village said their village had four gyms, but all of these were never open the same day.

Sunil Kumar, District Sports Officer (DSO), Muktsar, said, “I assumed the additional charge of Muktsar district just a few days ago and so I am unaware of the condition of gymnasiums here. I will visit the area to get a firsthand report of the situation.”