Punjab and Haryana High Court. (Express Photo by Jasbir Malhi/File)The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a notice to the Chandigarh Administration over a petition filed by the Chandigarh gym owners challenging the order of the administration wherein gyms have been directed to remain closed.
The petitioner, Pankaj Kasrija, through counsel J S Brar has argued that the respondents, Chandigarh Administration and others, have permitted even bars, cinema halls, restaurants and spas to operate with 50 per cent of their capacity. However, the gym facility being provided by the petitioners has been restrained from being operated altogether. There is no rationale behind restraining the establishment of the petitioners from operation.
The petitioners contended that they are giving employment to 20 people per gym and the livelihood of the petitioners as well as other staff of the gym is totally dependent upon the working of the gyms.
The petitioner contended that in March 2020, the first lockdown was imposed and all cinema halls, swimming pools, gyms, all public gatherings, sporting events, conferences, cultural events, fairs and exhibitions were directed to be closed. When the conditions started improving, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare ordered the opening of gyms. Certain standard operating procedures/guidelines were framed and all the establishments were ordered to follow the same while operating respective businesses.
In April 2021, unfortunately, the second wave of Covid-19 came and the gyms were ordered to be closed as per the order of the UT Administration. In January this year, cases of Omicron virus started increasing due to which the Chandigarh Administration passed the arbitrary order on January 6 for the gyms, whereas all bars, cinema halls, restaurants and spas have been permitted to operate at 50 per cent of their capacity.
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The counsel for the petitioner also submitted before the HC that the states of Haryana, Maharashtra and even Uttarakhand in January have permitted the gyms to run at 50 per cent of their capacity.
After hearing the matter, the Bench of Justice Rajbir Sehrawat issued the notice to the UT Administration, and adjourned the matter for February 25, 2022.
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