Delhi CWG lick's dust

Nksagar - Sagar Media New Delhi -CWG

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 14 August 2010 Saturday gave overriding powers
to a committee headed by Cabinet Secretary, bringing into its ambit the Organisi
ng Committee that has been tainted by corruption charges
No toilets around Commonwealth Games venues? With severe delays plaguing streets
caping works around CWG venues, authorities are now facing this embarrassing pro
spect.The city Government had given contract to four firms to install street fur
nitures like toilets, kiosks, information boards, iron chairs and benches on a B
OT (build, operate, transfer) basis in areas around the Games venues.However, th
e companies are yet
to start the work as the streetscaping projects are yet to be completed around m
ost of the venues.
The Government had, in fact, planned to install street furniture in all the area
s across Delhi where streets caping has been carried out but due to time constra
ints the plan was shelved and instead it was decided to put up the facilities ar
ound the venues.Reports PTI
With incessant rain gives water clogging in Delhi an outstretch of poor drainage
plus lack of facilities of rainwater harvesting may keep the Delhi dynamics of
CWG game in utterly shabby state inspite of government making its gala efforts.
Mismanagement of building infra for the CWG games and taking its lightly correla
ting with a marriage event spiraling cost dearly to the nation pride added stigm
a on the system in which the nation runs. Initial budget for hosting the Games w
ere inflated to `345 crore, but with ants creeping budgets has now swelled to Ru
ppes `85,000 crore, compelling all to ask games rational and its decision to go
for such huge investment with no returns in future leading it to inflated infruc
tuous expenses.
Dr Singh directed that thorough probe should be held by the ministries concerned
into complaints of "procedural and other irregularities" and "those found guilt
y should face severe and exemplary punishment".He instructed that all pending wo
rks should be completed expeditiously in a time-bound manner and decided to visi
t select venues of the Games in the last week of this month.
Dr Singh reviewed preparations for the October event at a meeting with Union Min
isters concerned, Delhi Lt Governor Tejender Khanna, Chief Minister Sheila Diksh
it, Organising Committee (OC) Chairman Suresh Kalmadi, Cabinet Secretary K M Cha
ndrashekhar and Home Secretary G K Pillai against the backdrop of intense contro
versies surrounding the conduct of the event.
"The Committee of Secretaries will continue to review implementation and it will
have the status of an Empowered Committee. It will have jurisdiction over matte
rs relating to the Organising Committee," said a PMO statement after the 90-minu
te meeting.
The decision to bring OC in the ambit of Committee of Secretaties is significant
as questions have been raised over functioning of the Organising Committee and
charges of corruption against its top brass, including Kalmadi."A Secretary-leve
l officer of the Cabinet Secretariat will liaise with the Organising Committee o
n a daily basis," the statement said.The Cabinet Secretary was also directed to
liaise closely with the Group of Ministers, which is already in place, to ensure
"effective coordination" among all the authorities concerned.Kalmadi said the c
ontroversies surrounding the CWG Organising Committee had demoralized officials
who were not even ready to sign papers, the sources said.
Kalmadi and some other top officials of the OC have been mired in allegations of
corruption and other irregularities, prompting the Prime Minister to step in an
d review the preparedness for the event starting on October 3.
The GoM, headed by Union Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy, was empowere
d to take all decisions necessary for the smooth conduct of the Games and refer
any matter that may require further consideration to Finance Minister Pranab Muk
herjee for a final decision.The GoM was directed to meet immediately and frequen
tly thereafter, the PMO statement said.
"All the facilities must meet international standards," the Prime Minister under
lined and expressed confidence that the ongoing preparations supervised directly
the GoM would enable the Games to be conducted smoothly and in a befitting mann
er.The Cabinet will be briefed on the state of preparations on a weekly basis.
The Organising Committee would take appropriate steps urgently to conclude all p
ending preparations. The Senior Management Committee would meet daily and be cha
ired by the CEO in the absence of the Chairman or Vice-Chairman, Organising Comm
ittee.Additional senior and experienced officers from the central government wou
ld be deputed as required.
Dr Singh asked all concerned to work single-mindedly so that the Games could be
held in a manner the nation could be justifiably proud of.In the wake of charges
of corruption and other wrongdoings, Dr Singh directed the Ministries concerned
to conduct "thorough investigations into all the complaints that have been rece
ived of procedural and other irregularities."
Noting that the eyes of the world were on India with regard to the Games, he sai
d that in the run up to the event, it was important to gain public confidence by
instilling order and carrying out effective supervision of the preparation work
s.
The public has a right to know the facts and the GoM will ensure that timely and
authentic information on the status of preparations and in particular on the re
maining tasks at hand is released to the public.The promotional campaign of the
various events should be stepped up to generate enthusiasm among sports-lovers i
n the largest sporting event the country has held in many years.
Union Minister Kapil Sibal has said that all works related to the mega sporting
event will be completed in time. Sibal said that the entire infrastructure will
be in place within the six weeks left for the Games."Will you not wait for six w
eeks to pass judgement. Let's not degenerate India. Let's not destroy India's cr
edibility," Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal told.
"Perhaps the stadiums you will see, will be the better than any stadium in the w
orld," he claimed.There are certain Games-related issues which could have been a
ddressed earlier, Sibal said, on the allegations of corruption will be looked in
to.
Fiscal scams tumbling out from CWG every day criticism of CWG has reached its cr
escendo -Soli J. Sorabjee write in one daily newspapers column In the interest o
f the nation, in the interest of the Games and in his own interest Kalmadi shoul
d temporarily step down without any admission of guilt. If he is exonerated, he
can return as a hero. I am sure Times Now will be the first to do him the honour
. Former Sports Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar "I am delighted in a way because rai
ns are causing difficulties for the Commonwealth Games. Basically, I will be ver
y unhappy,"
Delhi finance minister A K Walia, a member of the Commonwealth games Co-ordinati
on Committee expressed fears about the Games that he was not sure if all stadia
would be ready by the August 15 deadline.Mr Walia visited the Yamuna Sports Comp
lex in East Delhi ng, venue will host archery and table tennis events. â The way th
e work is going on, I have doubts over some of the Games venues but I hope that
they will be ready in time,â Mr Walia said. Waterlogging was reported from Yamuna
Sports Complex last week after heavy rains lashed the capital.
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