All thanks to shoddy and delayed work by one and all, the XIX Delhi 2010 Commonweatlh Games (CWG), which India was hoping to use as a golden chance to shine on the world stage, are in jeopardy with the participating foreign countries increasingly voicing their concern and big stars pulling out taking the sheen off the mega sporting event that starts on October 3.
The first batch of the participating athletes is arriving in barely next 24 hours on Thursday evening, and preparations are far from satisfactory. The Commonwealth Games Federation president Mike Fennell, who is arriving in the national capital on Thursday on the launch of the Games Village, is expected to press for a meeting with the prime minister Manmohan Singh to directly intervene and save the event from ending in to an embarrassment.
Meanwhile, Cabinet secretary KM Chandreshekhar downplayed the incident where a portion of false ceiling collapsed at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, stating that it was not a big issue.
“The cables which were to be set up for the data network were placed on the false ceiling and due to the weight of the cables the ceiling fell off. It’s a minor thing and it will be corrected. It’s not a matter to be worried about,” he said. Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit also trivalised the collapse, terming it a minor issue.
The incident comes a day after a foot overbridge outside the JLN stadium had collapsed injuring 27 workers, of which four were critical.
Admitting that the nation’s pride was at stake following complaints about preparations for the Commonwealth Games (CWG), the Congress on Wednesday said that every effort would be made to ensure that the event is successful.
However, Opposition Bharatiya Janta Party strengthened attack against the Central government. M Venkaiah Naidu said: “The BJP wants the success of the Commonwealth Games. Do not put the nation to shame by your casual and careless approach. We want the games to succeed, but prime minister Manmohan Singh should personally supervise the entire effort.” Naidu said that the rights to host the event had been won through a painstaking effort when their leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister.
Meanwhile, the Delhi high court’s Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Manmohan on Wednesday directed the Delhi government to pay a compensation of Rs300,000 each to the critically injured and Rs100,000 each to those who suffered minor injuries in the foot overbridge collapse. The Court also directed the deputy commissioner of police (crime branch) to conduct the investigation into the matter in a week’s time.
The traffic woes of the citizens have started mounting as restrictions have been in put place on vehicular movements. These problems have not spared even those who have been vigorously defending the cause of successful conduct of the games.
