South Delhi parks, north Delhi schools to start yoga classes soon

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) is likely to start appointing instructors from March-end for its project of starting yoga classes in parks managed by the civic body.

The south civic body had in its budget presented before the standing committee last month proposed starting of yoga classes in its parks.

The civic body will charge a nominal fee from participants for the classes, with officials saying that the move will help increase SDMC’s revenue.

Narendra Chawla, the south corporation’s leader of the house, said that the civic body has started the process of finalising modalities of the project and appoint yoga instructors to educate people about the exercise.

“The proposal has already been passed and now we are planning to implement it as soon as possible. We plan to start appointing yoga professionals at parks from the end of the next month (March) to teach people about right postures and asanas. We are in touch with some NGOs and organisations who deal in this sector to hire yoga professionals. We will hire instructors on a contractual basis,” Chawla said.

He added that people often use SDMC parks to practice yoga, so it has been decided that the civic body will provide professional teachers, and in return charge a nominal fee from the participants. “We are yet to decide the fee but it will be nominal. Modalities of the project are being worked out. This move will help us in generating more revenue,” Chawla said.

According to SDMC officials, the civic body manages around 6,400 small and big parks in its jurisdiction.

On similar lines, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation has also decided to introduce yoga classes for students at its schools. The north corporation authorities said that the move is aimed at improving fitness and immunity toits students.

North civic body officials said that students will be taught about yoga and its asanas by schools teachers only. “Special yoga instructors will be engaged to impart yoga training to municipal teachers. We will hire qualified trainers on contract. This proposal has been approved by the north corporation in its final budget last week,” the official said.

There are 714 primary schools which are run by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation. Nearly 9,000 teachers are employed across these schools by the civic body.

Yogesh Verma, leader of the House in north corporation, said that the project is likely to start from March this year.

“These yoga classes will be only for children studying at our primary schools. These will be conducted three days in a week. First period of the day at schools will be reserved for yoga classes where students are taught about importance of yoga and its asanas,” Verma said.

He added that to train teachers,trainers will be hired. “We are in touch with a few NGOs and have asked them to conduct a few training sessions for our teachers so that they can teach students yoga in a better way. The training is likely to start in March and yoga classes at schools will start when schools reopen,” Verma said.

KS Mehra, former commissioner of the unified MCD, said that both the initiative are good and aimed at public welfare. He said that introduction of yoga classes at schools will help in improving physical fitness of students.

In reference to hiring professionals for yoga classes at SDMC park, Mehra said that the move will offer better service to the public. “But it (yoga at parks by professionals) should not be free because no one cares about anything which is offered free of cost. The civic body should take a nominal fee, hence helping it generate more revenue and also paying professionals with that money,” Mehra said.