PM steps in, asks Lt. Governor for CWG Village cleanup

Zee News

New Delhi, 23 September 2010: Amidst complaints by some countries about the "substandard" and "filthy" conditions in the Commonwealth Games Village, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has stepped in again to put in order the arrangements for the Oct 3-14 mega event.

 

The prime minister summoned Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Tejinder Khanna Tuesday and directed him to personally oversee the clean-up and refurbishment of the apartments to house athletes and officials, a senior official told reporters. The Lt. Governor will be submitting a day-to-day status report to the prime minster, the official said.

 

Khanna was summoned after Cabinet Secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar, who visited the Village in the morning, submitted a report to Manmohan Singh. Chandrasekhar visited the athletes` housing site Tuesday and asked officials to "clean up fast" after several countries complained about the "unliveable" conditions in the Village.

 

Chandrasekhar instructed senior officials in the urban development ministry and the Organising Committee (OC) to clean up the Village fast and put the fixtures in order, a senior official told reporters. In August, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had asked Chandrasekhar to coordinate with the OC and speed up arrangements for the Games.

 

 

New Zealand, Scotland, Canada and Ireland have complained of substandard upkeep and poor arrangements in the apartments allotted to their contingents. The initial batches of athletes for the CWG are scheduled to check-in at the Village Thursday.

 

About 7,000 participants and officials from 71 countries and territories are expected to attend the Commonwealth Games, India`s biggest sporting event after the 1982 Asian Games. Games Village issue nothing to be ashamed of: OC

 

Despite the scathing criticism from the CGF chief Michael Fennell who termed Athletes Village "unlivable", the Commonwealth Organising Committee today said that the matter was not something for which it should be ashamed of and it was due to different perceptions in standard of cleanliness.

 

A concerened Fennell had shot of letter to Cabinet Secretary, saying that the Athletes Village has "shocked" many Commonwealth officials regarding its unhygienic conditions but the organisers said "it was just a matter of difference in perception of cleanliness".

 

"We have received the letter from Mr Fennell and he has expressed his concerns on the cleanliness of the Games Village. But it is not such a big issue which we should be ashamed of. This will not affect the Games," OC spokesperson Lalit Bhanot told reporters after the Executive Board meeting.

 

"We were aware of this issue (cleanliness) and we have already started our work. 70 per cent of work on cleaning the residential blocks has been completed, we will complete the remaining in 36 hours," he said. "Otherwise the Athletes Village is world class. I have visited many such Games and ours is the best. All the foreign delegates are impressed by the international center and the dinning hall," he said.

 

Bhanot insisted that the organisers did not miss any deadline as the earlier target was to complete work before the arrival of athletes. "We had set the target that all work will be over by September 23 before the arrival of athletes. It still stands, all work will be completed before arrival of athletes. Only thing left is the deep cleaning of the Village. All cleaning work will be completed before the arrival of the athletes," he said.

 

"The Cabinet Secretary, Prinicipal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Sports Secretary, Delhi Lt Governor and chief secretary visited the Village. We are getting all the support from the government. All the Games venues are also ready," he said. Asked if it was true that the residential blocks of the Village were not clean, Bhanot said, "For us and for you it is clean. But they (the foreign countries) have a different standard of cleanliness. It is a matter of difference in perception."

 

"Anyway, we have now upgraded the level of cleanliness which should be there according to them. So we are looking into everything and we will deliver the Games. No country has said they are not coming," he said. Bhanot described a foot-bridge collapsing near the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium as unfortunate but said it was not related to the Games.

 

"It was unfortunate that it happened. But it is not related to the Games," he said. Bhanot said there would be no problem for workers to do their job even after the lockdown of venues by the security personnel.

 

"Even at venues locked down by the police, workers can go inside after issuing bump-in passes. How many people will come next day will be known the earlier night and accordingly passes will be issued. So there will be no problem for workers in their job," he said.

 

Games Village mayor Dalbir Singh said the problems were of minor nature and will be sorted out in the next two days. "We were putting in our best. The infirmities, problems and complaints are minor. It will be done in next two days," he said.