In an effort to promote a healthy lifestyle, outdoor gyms were set up across the country by the health ministry with support from the World Health Organisation in 2018. However, after five years, the gym facilities are now facing neglect and many of the equipment have fallen into disrepair. In Zhemgang town, most of the outdoor gym facilities are non-functional and in dire need of maintenance.
The foot paddles of the health walker are broken, and the seats have come off. Some of the other gym equipment also lie rusted and defunct, while some sets have even been uprooted from their original locations.
Expressing concerns over the situation, residents said that the outdoor gym facility was never repaired after installation.
“All gym equipment is damaged and has never been repaired since installation. Now they are all in ruins and we can’t even find their remains at the locations. Otherwise, the district authority should take care of it,” said Dorji.
“I have seen the equipment installed at various places and it seems like nobody takes ownership of it. All the equipment is broken and lying under bushes. Now my question is who should be held responsible for ownership? The government has invested a huge amount in it but neither the district nor the general public seem to take care of it and I cannot tell who should,” said Tshering Wangdi.
According to the health ministry, the outdoor gym’s maintenance and restoration were handed over to the respective districts and thromdes. The health ministry only monitors and evaluates the condition of the outdoor gyms.
However, the district health officer said that while there is no budget allocated for repairs, they plan to carry out maintenance using locally available resources soon. They also intend to raise awareness among the public about taking ownership of public property.
Pema Samdrup, Zhemgang
Edited by Sonam Pem
