Raipur, Jul 5 (PTI) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday urged the Centre to allow conditional reopening of gymnasiums, which have been shut since the coronavirus-enforced lockdown came into force on March 25.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Baghel cited the financial hardhips being faced by operator of fitness centres, a state government spokesperson said.

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Gym operators have been going through a tough phase as their facilities are being shut for a long time since the lockdown was imposed, a government spokesperson said quoting the letter.

During phase-wise relaxation of the lockdown, various activities, including operation of restaurants and hotels, were allowed on condition of strict compliance with Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) to curb the coronavirus spread, but the Union government has still not given its permission for reopening gyms, Baghel stated.

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Chhattisgarh has so far reported 3,207 COVID-19 cases and 14 deaths.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)