Trinamul chief in Darjeeling on Sept. 26
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| Workers check the toy train tracks near Dagapur on Tuesday, a week before the railway minister’s visit to north Bengal. Picture by Kundan Yolmo |
TT, Siliguri, Sept. 21: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha is expecting a “positive outcome” at its meeting with Mamata Banerjee during her visit to the hills early next week, the optimism all the more because of the “greater role she is expected to play in the state” in the days to come.
If the meeting takes place, it will be the first between the Morcha and the Trinamul Congress chief in the three years since the hill party’s inception.
As far as the Morcha rivals go, the ABGL has already decided to meet the railway minister when she tours Darjeeling on September 26 and 27. The CPRM, which has the highest following in the hills after the Morcha, said it would meet her if it was invited.
Although the Morcha leadership will take a final decision on the meeting with the railway minister at a central committee session tomorrow, a senior party leader today said the “chances (of meeting her) are bright”.
To underscore the importance of the meeting, a Morcha leader said: “Her political stature and the political situation of Bengal at this juncture cannot be ruled out. We are looking at the greater role she will play in the state in future.”
Another Morcha leader said even as a Union minister, Mamata’s role cannot be ignored. “We can spell out our demands and grievances before her and highlight the plight of the hills people, seeking her intervention.”
Speculation has been high both in the hills and in the plains on the Morcha-Mamata meeting ever since she announced that she would visit Darjeeling with a “message of peace, democracy and unity”. The Trinamul chief said she wanted the hills to “continue to remain a part of Bengal” even while wanting to talk to the people there to sort out the problems.
Gautam Deb, the Darjeeling district Trinamul president, could not confirm if Mamata would meet the Morcha. “We can say that she is coming here with an open mind and with a mission to address the genuine problems of the hills people.”
If Union ministers and even the chief minister can hold one-to-one talks with the Morcha delegation for so many times, there is nothing wrong if the railway minister meets the Morcha, Deb added.
The ABGL said it would request the minister to take steps to restore peace and democracy in the hills. “We will point out the atrocities of the Morcha and bring her attention to the murder of our leader Madan Tamang, as nothing has been done yet by the CID to catch main culprit Nickole Tamang who has escaped from their custody,” said ABGL working president Dawa Sherpa.
Govind Chhetri, the organisational head of the CPRM, said: “We will not go on our own but if invited, we will definitely meet Mamata Banerjee. We want her to stay in the hills and understand the problems faced by the people, both from development as well as political point of view.”
DHR officials, however, are yet to receive any itinerary of the minister. “We are readying the toy train tracks, the stations, loco-shed and the headquarters. However, no itinerary has reached us so far,” an official said.
Trinamul sources said Mamata would arrive at New Jalpaiguri on September 26 and head for Darjeeling by road. Next day, she is expected to leave for Calcutta by train in the afternoon.
Hill visit a gimmick, says Biman
Hill visit a gimmick, says Biman
TT, Siliguri, Sept. 21: The CPM today described Mamata Banerjee’s proposed visit to the hills as “political gimmick”, while blaming the Trinamul Congress leader for bad roads in the region.
“We do not believe in political gimmicks like her (Mamata). People, too, have started losing their faiths on her for these publicity stunts,” CPM state secretary Biman Bose said in Jalpaiguri when asked why the chief minister is not visiting Darjeeling.
Bose, also the Left Front chairman, accused the Trinamul leader of not taking any step to repair the potholed roads in north Bengal. “She had been repeatedly saying that she would turn north Bengal into Switzerland but cannot address basic problems like bad roads. The Trinamul chief, despite being a minister in Delhi, has not taken any step for quick repair of the roads under the jurisdiction of the NHAI, which is a central organisation. This only shows how ‘sincere’ she is,” Bose said.
On the emergence of the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad, Bose said the CPM was scrutinising its demands. “Whichever of them are of public interest, we will organise movement on them.”
KalimNews:Roshan Giri, said that we will not leave the Dooars and plains till our last breath but for the present GRA we want atleast 30 percent of the proposed area. And the government should give us in writing about the future inclusion of other parts after the 2011 election. Center has assured us and we are also confident that within 2012 we will be upgraded to Union Territory. Roshan was speaking during an an interactive programme organised by JSTO a teachers' wing of GJMM in Kalimpong for the clarification of the recent developments in the tripartite Talks and the demand of GJMM. In the panel were GJMM leaders Roshan Giri, HB Chhetri, Lalit Pariyar, Trilok Dewan, Amar Rai, Jyoti kr Rai and RB Bhujel who answered the questions raised by the audience in Ramkrishna Rangamanch.
Answering to the queries HB Chhetri said that consumers will not be levied the dues of the electricity and telephone bills, it will be managed by the center from any other fund.
Most of the speakers said that we have to rely on the governmental officers for governing GRA in an effective manner, so are in need of efficient and hill loving experts. Problem of Adhoc staff will also be settled in the next talks, they said.
Bail plea
KalimNews: Anticipatory bail plea for the the two women GJMM members will be heard today at Darjeeling District CJM and Session Court. Babita Ganguli and Sona Sherpa are the two accused females in the Madan Tamang murder case. They were named by the CID in its list of accused. The other 23 of the list are still abscondng and had evaded the court for surrender. So far Police had arrested 8 of them but 1 Nicole Tamang fled while on Police remand.
Consumers relieved of paying dues of Electricity Bill
KalimNews:Roshan Giri, said that we will not leave the Dooars and plains till our last breath but for the present GRA we want atleast 30 percent of the proposed area. And the government should give us in writing about the future inclusion of other parts after the 2011 election. Center has assured us and we are also confident that within 2012 we will be upgraded to Union Territory. Roshan was speaking during an an interactive programme organised by JSTO a teachers' wing of GJMM in Kalimpong for the clarification of the recent developments in the tripartite Talks and the demand of GJMM. In the panel were GJMM leaders Roshan Giri, HB Chhetri, Lalit Pariyar, Trilok Dewan, Amar Rai, Jyoti kr Rai and RB Bhujel who answered the questions raised by the audience in Ramkrishna Rangamanch.
Answering to the queries HB Chhetri said that consumers will not be levied the dues of the electricity and telephone bills, it will be managed by the center from any other fund.
Most of the speakers said that we have to rely on the governmental officers for governing GRA in an effective manner, so are in need of efficient and hill loving experts. Problem of Adhoc staff will also be settled in the next talks, they said.
Bail plea
KalimNews: Anticipatory bail plea for the the two women GJMM members will be heard today at Darjeeling District CJM and Session Court. Babita Ganguli and Sona Sherpa are the two accused females in the Madan Tamang murder case. They were named by the CID in its list of accused. The other 23 of the list are still abscondng and had evaded the court for surrender. So far Police had arrested 8 of them but 1 Nicole Tamang fled while on Police remand.
Kidnapped Assam tea grower Ajay Subba freed after 6 days
IANS, Guwahati, Sep 21 : Tea grower Ajay Subba, kidnapped by suspected militants of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) last week, returned home early Tuesday, police said.A police spokesperson said Subba, the owner of a small tea garden in eastern Assam's Tinsukia district, arrived home after being let off by kidnappers a few kilometres away from his residence.
'I really did not know why I was kidnapped, but I was told by my captors that there was some misunderstanding and they were sorry for holding me hostage,' Subba told IANS after being released.
Police earlier said Subba was kidnapped at gunpoint Sep 14 from close to his plantation.
'I don't know if they were ULFA or others, but they were armed. I was treated very nicely and was served food to eat properly,' Subba said.
'I was taken blindfolded and kept in some jungle area although they frequently changed locations.'
Police, however, are investigating if Subba was released after the family paid ransom money to the kidnappers.
'We shall interrogate him and find out if money changed hands for securing his release,' a senior police official said.
Subba is the nephew of controversial former Assam Congress MP and lottery baron Mani Kumar Subba.
'I am happy at being released and thanked all those who stood by my family during the past one week,' Subba said.
PTI, Tinsukia, 21 September: Controversial Congress MP Mani Kumar Subba's nephew Ajay Subba, who was kidnapped on September 14 last, was on Tuesday released by the kidnappers at Talap in Assam's Tinsukia district, police said. Ajay, a tea planter, reached his home and his condition was stated to be fine. On the basis of Ajay's interrogation, eight persons, including the prime accused Kula Chutia, were arrested from Kakopathar area of the district.
An amount of Rs 1.52 lakh and arms and ammunition were recovered from his possessionAjay Subba, a small tea garden owner, was kidnapped from Bordubi area while he was returning home from the garden.
The All Assam Gorkha Students' Union, of which Ajay was an advisor, had put up regular road blockades since the kidnapping and had also called a bandh on Monday demanding his release.
KalimNews: Earlier ULFA had denied of kidnapping subba, it is believed that he was kidnapped by ULFA militants mistaking him for some one else.The All Assam Gorkha Students' Union, of which Ajay was an advisor, had put up regular road blockades since the kidnapping and had also called a bandh on Monday demanding his release.
Forest warning to haul up gardens for hurt animals
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| Beware of arrows |
TT, Alipurduar, Sept. 21: The Buxa Tiger Reserve authorities have warned the managements of 12 tea gardens against harming wild animals straying into the plantations, saying it would “tantamount” to poaching.
The caution comes two days after an elephant was sighted in a garden with an arrow stuck on its hind leg.
The caution comes two days after an elephant was sighted in a garden with an arrow stuck on its hind leg.
Elephant raids are common on the tea estates of north Bengal. The animals often kill and injure residents of the fringe villages and destroy crops and huts. Annoyed workers look for an opportunity to retaliate and often shoot at them with arrows. On Sunday, foresters of the north Rydak range under Buxa Tiger Reserve (east) division spotted an adult female elephant limping in Kartick Tea Estate because of the arrow on its hind leg.
By the time a veterinary officer from the tiger reserve arrived, the elephant had entered the nearby forest. The finger of suspicion has been pointed at the workers.Deputy field director of the reserve’s (east) division Suvankar Sengupta said: “We are waiting for the wound to heal naturally. But if necessary, we will tranquillise the animal and treat it.”
Around six months ago, officials of the tiger reserve had consulted the garden authorities on conducting awareness drives so that workers did not cultivate crops right next to the forest land or harm animals. But only a few estates took up the drive. “I have written to all 12 gardens in our division, asking them to tell the workers to refrain from this sort of illegal activities. Otherwise, we may take action against the managements under the Wildlife Protection Act,” said Sengupta. He said workers’ action would be treated as poaching and the accused could face up to 3-7 years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 under Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Animesh Bose, project co-ordinator of Hnaf, a wildlife NGO, said: “If the workers spot any animals then they should inform the nearest forest office instead of taking action on their own.”
By the time a veterinary officer from the tiger reserve arrived, the elephant had entered the nearby forest. The finger of suspicion has been pointed at the workers.Deputy field director of the reserve’s (east) division Suvankar Sengupta said: “We are waiting for the wound to heal naturally. But if necessary, we will tranquillise the animal and treat it.”
Around six months ago, officials of the tiger reserve had consulted the garden authorities on conducting awareness drives so that workers did not cultivate crops right next to the forest land or harm animals. But only a few estates took up the drive. “I have written to all 12 gardens in our division, asking them to tell the workers to refrain from this sort of illegal activities. Otherwise, we may take action against the managements under the Wildlife Protection Act,” said Sengupta. He said workers’ action would be treated as poaching and the accused could face up to 3-7 years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 under Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Animesh Bose, project co-ordinator of Hnaf, a wildlife NGO, said: “If the workers spot any animals then they should inform the nearest forest office instead of taking action on their own.”
2 killed 15 hurt in mishap
TT, Alipurduar, Sept. 21: Two persons were killed and 15 others were injured when the bus they were travelling in rammed into a stationary truck near Dalsinghpara on Saarc Road last night.
Police said the accident took place around 8.30pm, when the bus, coming from Jaigaon on the India-Bhutan border and bound for Falakata, hit the rear of the truck. Dilip Kumar Pal, 38, of Falakata, died at the Madarihat health centre, while Rajib Saha, 23, succumbed to injuries on way to the Jalpaiguri district hospital. Some of the injured were admitted to the air force hospital in Hashimara. SDPO David Lepcha said both vehicles had been seized but the drivers fled. Babun Saha, an injured passenger, said there were about 30 people in the bus. “The driver was speeding away. Suddenly it swerved and crashed into something and we all fell on the floor screaming. Local people rushed to our help.”
Monks cite holy river as hurdle- Scrap hydel project plea to CM
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| The site of the earlier project on the Rathong Chu that was scrapped; and the sacred river. Pictures by Prabin Khaling |
TT, Gangtok, Sept. 21: Monks along with the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee have petitioned the Pawan Chamling government to scrap the proposed Lethang hydel power project on the Rathong Chu, a river considered sacred by the Sikkimese.
The petitioners said in 1997, the Chamling-led Sikkim Democratic Front government had scrapped a 30 MW project in the same area, the Yuksom Valley, for similar sentiments. At that time, Chamling during an announcement on August 19, 1997, had said the project had been cancelled to “honour the sentiments, religion and culture of the Sikkimese people,” even though Rs 20 crore had been spent on it.
The Siblac and the monks of the Pemayangtse monastery in West Sikkim registered their opposition during a public hearing conducted by the state pollution control board on Thursday. The monks in their memorandum to the board said the river on which the 96MW hydel project was being developed was the most sacred in Sikkim. “Any power project over the sacred Rathong Chu river was considered a closed chapter after the Rathong Chu hydel power project was scrapped by the chief minister in 1997. Now again, for some reason, the state government has signed an agreement with a private developer to construct a 96MW project over the same river. They have deliberately kept the name of the project ‘Lethang’ to mislead the people,” said Siblac convener Tseten Tashi Bhutia. His allegation was that usually a project was named after a river, but not in this case. Few people are aware that the Lethang project is the one on the Rathong Chu, a tributary of the Rangeet.
Bhutia claimed that under the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which was extended to Sikkim in 1998, Rathong Chu at 5,700ft is a sacred river.
In his petition to Chamling, the Siblac convener also highlighted the recommendations of the one-man committee of P.S. Ramakrishnan of Jawaharlal Nehru University. The panel report to the state government in 1995 had recommended the scrapping of the project in Rathong Chu, saying the stretch from Mount Kanchenjungha to the Yuksam lowlands is the most appropriate to be declared a national heritage site. “The point is that no expenditure has been incurred so far for the Lethang project and it can be closed,” said Bhutia.
Officials of the pollution control board said the Siblac and the monks’ submissions at the hearing would be put on record. “The project developer and the district collector concerned will have to reply to these contentions,” a board official said.
Glare on cell in track tragedy
Friends Paromita Jana, 19, and Bidisha Mondal, 18, died of multiple injuries within hours of being knocked down by the Down Sealdah-Bongaon Ladies Special between Birati and New Barrackpore stations around 9.55am.
Buddha not invited Mamta Calls Chief secy instead
Sabyasachi Bandhopadhyay, IE, Kolkata: Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has chosen not to invite Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to the foundation-laying ceremony of the Joka-BBD Bagh Metro project at Joka that will be presided over by President Pratibha Patil on Wednesday.
“I have not been invited. I don’t know whether anybody else has got the invitation,” Bhattacharjee said on Tuesday evening while leaving the Writers’ Buildings for Kolkata airport to receive the President.
However, an invitation for Chief Secretary Ardhendu Sen came to his office in the afternoon. Other dignitaries who will be present on the occasion include Governor M K Narayanan and Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
The move evoked sharp criticism from state Transport Minister Ranjit Kundu who accused the Railways of non-cooperation with the state government. “This can happen in West Bengal only. It is a gross violation of both protocol and courtesy,” he said. “How can the Railways do this to the Chief Minister when the project is being executed in the state?”
He also said that the elevated track from Joka to BBD Bagh would be built over tram track and there would be a total disruption of public life.
“But the Railways never consulted us on how to do it. They never showed us the detailed project report. It’s a strange situation,” Kundu said.
Railway officials maintained they had no role in deciding whom to invite. “You better ask Didi. She took the decision,” said a railway official.
Senior bureaucrats are of the opinion that not inviting the Chief Minister was of course a violation of courtesy, if not protocol. “During arrival and departure of the President, the Governor and Chief Minister have to be present at the airport. That is protocol. But as far as a specific function related to a mega project inside the state is concerned where the President is present, courtesy demands that the Chief Minister is invited,” said a former chief secretary of the state, requesting anonymity. Glare on cell in track tragedy
TT, Kolkata, 22 Sept:Two college girls trudging along a rail track with one of them chatting over a cellphone were killed by a speeding local train on Tuesday morning, barely four days after a similar tragedy.
Friends Paromita Jana, 19, and Bidisha Mondal, 18, died of multiple injuries within hours of being knocked down by the Down Sealdah-Bongaon Ladies Special between Birati and New Barrackpore stations around 9.55am.Witnesses said Paromita, who was closer to the track, may not have heard the sound of the train coming from behind as she was using a cellphone headset. Bidisha, her first-year classmate in the Bengali department of New Barrackpore Acharya Prafulla Chandra Mahavidyalaya, apparently died trying to drag her friend out of the way.
“I could make out even from a distance that the girl with the headset (Paromita) was engaged in conversation. Why the other girl didn’t hear the sound of the speeding train until the last second is a mystery,” said Asim Kolay, who sells groundnuts at Bisharpara-Kodalia station.
Bystanders and boys of a college near the accident site, around 19km from the city, helped take the critically injured girls — Bidisha’s left leg was severed — to NRS Medical College and Hospital. Paromita died around 12.20pm, an hour after being admitted. Her friend, who was later shifted to SSKM, succumbed to her injuries around 2.15pm.
“She was so excited about coming home for Puja in a few weeks. She wanted a cellphone along with new clothes this time. Who will I buy these things for now?” cried Bidisha’s father Bimal Mondal, a farmer from Dushnekhali in North 24-Parganas.
Mondal said he last spoke to his daughter over her friend’s cellphone around 8:30am.
Schoolteacher Sukanta Mondal, a friend of Paromita’s father, said he had heard about her talking over the cellphone when the accident occurred but wasn’t sure whether that was the cause of her death. “We need to hear from the cops first. In any case, what is the point in finding out how this tragedy happened since she cannot be brought back to life,” he told Metro.
Paromita’s family lives in Atapur village, on the northern fringes, not far from Bidisha’s village. The two friends, who had passed Madhyamik from Atapur Kenaram High School, used to share a mess at Bisharpara.
The duo had set off for college around 9.30am on Tuesday, hoping to make it to the first class on time by taking a shortcut along the rail track. The college is a 25-minute walk from the girls’ mess.
Last Friday, a train mowed down Class XI student Madhurima Das, 16, when she walked past a closed rail gate and stepped on the track near Dum Dum Cantonment station while talking over her cellphone.
AND WE ALL FALL DOWN
| The collapsed footbridge (on the ground in front of the crane) in the parking space of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (circular frame in the background) in New Delhi on Tuesday. Picture by Rajesh Kumar |
Hygiene, security, collapse! CWG in doubt as India taken to the cleaners SNS, NEW DELHI, 21 SEPT: Just 12 days ahead of the Commonwealth Games, an under construction foot overbridge near the showpiece Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium collapsed in the Capital today, injuring 28 labourers and raising grave doubts about Delhi’s preparedness for the mega sporting event. The accident site was immediately cordoned off. Huge cranes and earthmovers were pressed into service to clear the debris while gas-cutters were used to dismantle the huge iron bridge which collapsed.
Four of the labourers are in serious condition and have been taken to the AIIMS trauma centre while the others are in Safdarjung Hospital. Four of the critically injured have been identified as Triveni (resident of Sasaram in Bihar), Jitender, Sunil Rawat and Unni.
Some foreigners were also reported to be injured though confirmation is awaited. No wonder Australia's world champion discus-thrower Dani Samuels today pulled out of the Games, citing health and security concerns. English athletes Phillips Idowu, Christine Ohuruogu and Lisa Dobriskey have also pulled out of the mega-event.
It is understood world triple jump champion Idowu has concerns over Games preparations, whereas Ohuruogu and Dobriskey both have injury worries. They were due to defend Commonwealth titles in Delhi in October.
The 95-metre long hanging bridge, which was to connect the parking lot of the stadium with the other side of the street in Lodhi Road area in South Delhi, caved in at around 3 pm. The Public Works Department of the Delhi government, which had given the contract for constructing the bridge to Chandigarh-based PNR Infra, immediately ordered an inquiry into the incident.
The firm has been blacklisted, chief minister Ms Sheila Dikshit said as she ordered the probe by a two-member committee which will file its report within a fortnight.
The government also announced a compensation of Rs one lakh for each of those who sustained grievous injuries and Rs 50,000 to the other injured.
Adding to the embarrassment of the authorities was a scathing attack on the much-touted Games Village on the banks of the Yamuna by delegates from New Zealand and Scotland. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) CEO, Mr Mike Hooper, too, slammed the Village as “filthy and uninhabitable”.
The New Zealand chef de mission, Mr Dave Currie, raised serious concerns over the residential zone of the village even warning that the Games risk cancellation if the living conditions do not improve by Thursday, when the first batch of athletes are supposed to arrive. “If the village is not ready and athletes can’t come then obviously the implications of that are it is not going to happen. If the village isn’t ready, the athletes can’t arrive,” Mr Currie said today.
The CGF president, Mr Michael Fennel, in a letter to the Cabinet Secretary Mr KM Chandrashekar said: “The condition of the residential zone has shocked the majority of Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) that are in Delhi and, despite their attempts to work with the Organising Committee in a constructive manner since arriving on 15 September, significant operational matters remain unaddressed.”
The CGF chief also asked the Cabinet Secretary to immediately deploy the necessary resources to fix all the outstanding issues to an acceptable level.
However, the OC secretary-general, Mr Lalit Bhanot, maintained that the situation was under control. Addressing a Press conference this evening, he said, “We understand the concern shown by the member countries. The situation is under control. The teams are going to arrive on 23 September. We are confident that the entire cleaning of the Games Village will be completed in the next 36 hours,”
He also said everything at the Village including the international zone and dining hall except the residential complexes are in perfect shape. “For you and me it may be clean. But, there are different standards for different people,” Mr Bhanot cryptically added.
“There may be a piece of furniture not working or a stain here and there. We are all putting things together. the vice-chairman of the DDA and the chief secretary of Delhi have visited the Village and found it satisfactory,” said the Mayor of the CWG Village, Mr Dalbir Singh.
The Union urban development minister, Mr Jaipal Reddy, who heads the group of ministers constituted to oversee the CWG, claimed that the Games next month would be “absolutely world class” and no opinion should be formed before that. “There are complaints about cleanliness and maintenance but these complaints are being addressed. More labourers and officials have been pressed into service,” he told reporters here. “I will ask not to form any judgment before the Games. India’s image has not been affected... Image of the Games will be known by the way we conduct the Games,” Mr Reddy said. PWD minister Mr Raj Kumar Chouhan said the mishap occurred due to “unequal distribution of weight” when the labourers were putting mix of concrete. He contended that “The structure is fine” and “we can make the (collapsed) structure operational before the Games.” A “different structure” can also be made, he said.
Interestingly, the Union urban development minister, who heads the Group of Ministers on the Commonwealth Games, sought to blame the rains for the collapse. “There have been heavy rains for last 20 days. I don't have much details about the collapse. But I am sure the Games will be absolutely world class,” Mr Reddy said. The PWD chief engineer, Mr Rakesh Mishra, however, had a differing view on this. “It did not happen because of rain. Something has gone wrong leading to the incident. We are looking into all aspects of it,” Mr Mishra said.The chief engineer admitted that the incident was a “setback” but hoped that the project would be completed before the Games that start on 3 October.
Four of the labourers are in serious condition and have been taken to the AIIMS trauma centre while the others are in Safdarjung Hospital. Four of the critically injured have been identified as Triveni (resident of Sasaram in Bihar), Jitender, Sunil Rawat and Unni.
Some foreigners were also reported to be injured though confirmation is awaited. No wonder Australia's world champion discus-thrower Dani Samuels today pulled out of the Games, citing health and security concerns. English athletes Phillips Idowu, Christine Ohuruogu and Lisa Dobriskey have also pulled out of the mega-event.
It is understood world triple jump champion Idowu has concerns over Games preparations, whereas Ohuruogu and Dobriskey both have injury worries. They were due to defend Commonwealth titles in Delhi in October.
The 95-metre long hanging bridge, which was to connect the parking lot of the stadium with the other side of the street in Lodhi Road area in South Delhi, caved in at around 3 pm. The Public Works Department of the Delhi government, which had given the contract for constructing the bridge to Chandigarh-based PNR Infra, immediately ordered an inquiry into the incident.
The firm has been blacklisted, chief minister Ms Sheila Dikshit said as she ordered the probe by a two-member committee which will file its report within a fortnight.
The government also announced a compensation of Rs one lakh for each of those who sustained grievous injuries and Rs 50,000 to the other injured.
Adding to the embarrassment of the authorities was a scathing attack on the much-touted Games Village on the banks of the Yamuna by delegates from New Zealand and Scotland. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) CEO, Mr Mike Hooper, too, slammed the Village as “filthy and uninhabitable”.
The New Zealand chef de mission, Mr Dave Currie, raised serious concerns over the residential zone of the village even warning that the Games risk cancellation if the living conditions do not improve by Thursday, when the first batch of athletes are supposed to arrive. “If the village is not ready and athletes can’t come then obviously the implications of that are it is not going to happen. If the village isn’t ready, the athletes can’t arrive,” Mr Currie said today.
The CGF president, Mr Michael Fennel, in a letter to the Cabinet Secretary Mr KM Chandrashekar said: “The condition of the residential zone has shocked the majority of Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) that are in Delhi and, despite their attempts to work with the Organising Committee in a constructive manner since arriving on 15 September, significant operational matters remain unaddressed.”
The CGF chief also asked the Cabinet Secretary to immediately deploy the necessary resources to fix all the outstanding issues to an acceptable level.
However, the OC secretary-general, Mr Lalit Bhanot, maintained that the situation was under control. Addressing a Press conference this evening, he said, “We understand the concern shown by the member countries. The situation is under control. The teams are going to arrive on 23 September. We are confident that the entire cleaning of the Games Village will be completed in the next 36 hours,”
He also said everything at the Village including the international zone and dining hall except the residential complexes are in perfect shape. “For you and me it may be clean. But, there are different standards for different people,” Mr Bhanot cryptically added.
“There may be a piece of furniture not working or a stain here and there. We are all putting things together. the vice-chairman of the DDA and the chief secretary of Delhi have visited the Village and found it satisfactory,” said the Mayor of the CWG Village, Mr Dalbir Singh.
The Union urban development minister, Mr Jaipal Reddy, who heads the group of ministers constituted to oversee the CWG, claimed that the Games next month would be “absolutely world class” and no opinion should be formed before that. “There are complaints about cleanliness and maintenance but these complaints are being addressed. More labourers and officials have been pressed into service,” he told reporters here. “I will ask not to form any judgment before the Games. India’s image has not been affected... Image of the Games will be known by the way we conduct the Games,” Mr Reddy said. PWD minister Mr Raj Kumar Chouhan said the mishap occurred due to “unequal distribution of weight” when the labourers were putting mix of concrete. He contended that “The structure is fine” and “we can make the (collapsed) structure operational before the Games.” A “different structure” can also be made, he said.
Interestingly, the Union urban development minister, who heads the Group of Ministers on the Commonwealth Games, sought to blame the rains for the collapse. “There have been heavy rains for last 20 days. I don't have much details about the collapse. But I am sure the Games will be absolutely world class,” Mr Reddy said. The PWD chief engineer, Mr Rakesh Mishra, however, had a differing view on this. “It did not happen because of rain. Something has gone wrong leading to the incident. We are looking into all aspects of it,” Mr Mishra said.The chief engineer admitted that the incident was a “setback” but hoped that the project would be completed before the Games that start on 3 October.
Meanwhile in China
PTI, BEIJING, 21 SEPT: The township of the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou due in November is ready and it has been given to the organising committee nearly two months ahead of the Games, with claims that the facilities will be a shade better than those for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The Games Town with more than 8,000 apartments has been formally handed over to the Guangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee, the official China Daily reported today. 
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