Bindra calls on volunteers to showcase Indian values at Commonwealth Games

Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra today called on the volunteers for next year's Commonwealth Games to put the best foot forward and said each of their efforts will go a long way in showcasing Indian hospitality and values.

Bindra, the lone Indian to win an individual gold at the Olympics, was here at the launch of 'Delhi United', a programme aimed at recruiting more than 30,000 volunteers for the October 3-14 multi-sports extravaganza.

''Volunteers are the backbone for any successful Games and I can say that because I have been to three of those,'' said Bindra.

Bindra, who won the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics last year, also had an anectode to share about the his experience with volunteers during his record-breaking feet.

''There were two volunteers assigned to take care of the Indian Olympic team and both of them were there when I won the Gold medal.

''After I won the Gold medal, they gave me a card written in Hindi and I still have that card framed at my home along side the Gold medal,'' recalled the ace marksman.

A number of volunteers have already signed up for the mega event and the Organising Committee is aiming to have as many as 30,000 of them.

Also present at the occasion were Sports Secretary Sindhushree Khullar and Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi who said the the volunteers will be the real face of the country during the Games.

''Volunteers are not only the face of the Games but the also the heart of the Games,'' Khullar said.

''I am confident that our volunteers would contribute immensely towards ensuring that we host a great Games next year,'' Kalmadi said.

My confidence stems from the fact that around 200 volunteers who helped us during the Commonwealth Games Federation General Assembly did a great job and passed the test with flying colours,'' he added.

Five categories of volunteers - senior citizens, professionals, homemakers, differently-abled and international - were registered during the programme.

To facilitate easy registration of the volunteer, the Organising Committee also launched a special interactive web portal (www.cwgdelhi2010.org/delhiunited) which will allow interested citizens to log on to the portal and fill in their registration forms online.

CWG volunteers programme launched

The Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (CGOC) on Friday launched ‘Delhi United,’ a programme aimed at recruiting 30,000 volunteers for the mega event.

Launching the logo and the website of the programme on the eve of the International Volunteers Day here, CGOC Chairman Suresh Kalmadi expressed confidence “the volunteers would contribute immensely towards ensuring that we host a great Games.”

Olympic gold medal winning shooter Abhinav Bindra shared a beautiful anecdote to underscore the importance of volunteers in the successful conduct of any Games.

“When I won the gold in Beijing (Olympics), there were two Chinese volunteers who gave me a card, all done in Hindi. I have it framed next to my gold medal,” Bindra said.

The estimated 30,000 volunteers will be sourced from the Delhi Government, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sports Authority of India, National sports federations, National Cadet Corps and the general public.

The volunteers will be provided training under five broad categories — general training, role specific, venue specific, event leadership and train the trainer programme.

In order to facilitate easy registration of the volunteers, the CGOC has launched a portal ( www.cwgdelhi2010.org/delhiunited).

Meanwhile, the Union Sports Ministry has instructed the CGOC that “India’s youth should be represented in the Delhi Commonwealth Games as volunteers.”

“Apart from students of Delhi, there should be a good representation among volunteers from youth and students from all over the country,” the Ministry has said. — Sports Reporter

National Stadium to be ready this month

The showpiece pitch at the historic Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in the Capital, which is being renovated for the hockey competition during the upcoming Commonwealth Games in October next year, will be ready by the middle of this December, nearly a month ahead of the test event -- a four-nation tournament to be played from January 13 to 17, 2010. This was announced by the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee here on Friday.

‘Best hockey stadium’

Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi said the stadium, which will have floodlights generating 2500 lux to cater to the needs of high-definition broadcast during the Commonwealth Games, will possess all modern facilities. He expressed confidence that it would be, as International Hockey Federation president Leandro Negre had put it, “the best hockey stadium in the world”.

Noting that the stadium would have a sitting capacity for 20,000 people, Mr. Kalmadi said he was glad that the façade of the National Stadium, which was the main venue during the 1951 Asian Games and the hockey venue for the 1982 Asian Games, has been retained.

Second pitch

He also announced that the second pitch at the stadium would be ready well before the World Cup slated from February 28 to March 13.

Mr. Kalmadi went on to add that besides the two competition pitches and a warm-up pitch at the National Stadium, Delhi would have two more pitches at the Shivaji Stadium and the Yamuna Sports Complex.

“There is no doubt in my mind that the Commonwealth Games in Delhi will leave a lasting legacy not only for hockey but for Olympic sports,” he asserted.

The National Stadium is owned by the Sports Authority of India and the redesigning work has been carried out by the Central Public Works Department at a cost of Rs.201.11 crore.

BJP ups offensive on water, Commonwealth Games

Goel launches public forum to track govt spending on Games

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vijay Goel on Friday announced the formation of a ‘Citizens’ Forum for the Commonwealth Games’ to keep a close watch on public money expenditure during the Games.

Goel alleged most Games projects were running behind schedule and the Games organising committee has been paying more to contractors for hastening work to meet the deadline.

Goel also alleged widespread irregularities in the spending and demanded a white paper from the government detailing how funds are being spent. “Daily updates should be put up on a website for proper public scrutiny, where details of tenders, quotations, and whether empanelled bidders alone were being given contracts, should be mentioned,” Goel said. “There have been reports of delays in various projects and we fear major embarrassment will be caused if Delhi is found under-prepared for the event.”

Goel said a run will be organised on December 6 from the National Stadium to the organising committee head office at Jantar Mantar. “The ‘Run to stop delays and waste of public money in Commonwealth Games’ is an effort to create awareness among people that their money is being spent and therefore it should be used judiciously.”

An additonal Rs 200 crore has been asked for infrastructure, while Delhi Jal Board, which was allocated Rs 1,400 crore, has asked for another Rs 600 crore, Goel claimed

Delhi Govt produce white paper on Commonwealth Games: Goel

Former Union sports minister and BJP leader Vijay Goel today alleged that the Commonwealth Organising Committee is stepped in corruption and urgently demanded a white paper on the committee's activities from the Delhi government.

Addressing media persons at the Constitution Club with people motivator Shiv Khera, Mr Goel criticised the Delhi government for a delay in the construction of the stadiums for next year's multi-sports event and blamed the Delhi government for the increasing project costs which are now around three times the earlier projection. Stating that the Organising Committee had been set up in 2005 and the Commonwealth Games was proposed for Delhi in 2003, he added that national dignity would be affected if the projects are not completed on time.

He said the Organising Committee had taken its office premises at Jantar-Mantar on rent from the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) at the rate of Rs 5.5 crore per month which will cost around a total of Rs 170-200 crore for 30 months, and still several parts of the premises is vacant. Mr Goel, who is also a member of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, charged the state government for siphoning off public money as Rs 84 crore is due to be spent on the inaugural and concluding ceremonies of the Games.

He noted that all these questions would be raised in a proposed meeting of the Organising Committee on December 7 and urged the government to put all informations regarding funds allocation and its receiving as well as day to day developments regarding completion of stadiums on its website. Mr Shiv Khera also criticised the Delhi's government for the manner in which it has planned the Commonwealth Games, and demanded that the whole process should be made very transparent.

The two leaders said under the banner of 'Citizen's Forum', thousands of its members will run to stop delays and waste of public money in Commonwealth games on December 6 from the National Stadium to the office of Commonwealth organising committee, at the Jantar-Mantar.

30,000 volunteers to be roped in for Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Organising Committee Friday launched a programme - Delhi United - to recruit and train 30,000 volunteers to make the upcoming Games a success.

The programme was launched by Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi and attended by Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra.

"Volunteers will be the backbone of a successful Commonwealth Games. Delhi United has been aimed to encourage every citizen regardless of age and occupation in making the games the best ever," Kalmadi said.

Delhi United will recruit, train and deploy volunteers. Apart from students, five categories of volunteers - senior citizens, professionals, homemakers, disabled and students of the international community living in Delhi will be recruited.

The programme was launched on the eve of International Volunteer Day.

The Commonwealth Games will be held between Oct 3 and 14 next year in the capital.

Medical Professionals for Commonwealth Games, 2010

Delhi Government is in the process of identifying doctors including sports physicians, physiotherapists and masseurs from various governmental and non governmental organizations.

Health Department, Government of Delhi has been identified as the nodal agency. A sub Committee on Health has been set up by the Organizing Committee (OC) of Commonwealth Games with Health Minister of GNCT of Delhi as the Chairperson. A Polyclinic would be established at the Games Village. At each of the stadia Medical Centre with basic emergency care facilities to provide on the spot medical care to the athletes / officials / games family etc., shall be established. First aid posts shall also be established at the competition venues to provide on the spot care to the spectators. Appropriate ambulance coverage shall be provided to these venues. 150 Ambulances are being arranged for the city also, which shall be functional by July, 2010.

The primary and supplementary response hospitals have been identified for each of the venue to take care of any eventuality. They are being upgraded.

These are in addition to 3 definitive care hospitals [GBP Hospital, AIIMS (JPN Trauma Centre) and RML Hospital] for the athletes / games family etc. These hospitals will have dedicated facilities for the athletes / officials / games family etc.

A State of art Sports Injury Centre is being established at Safdarjung hospital which is likely to be operational by May 2010.

Hospital disaster management plans are already functional in the hospitals in accordance to the State Disaster Management Plans to take on any eventuality.

Municipality Corporation of Delhi is the nodal agency for issues related to Public Health with support from National Centre for Disease Control, Ministry of Health & FW, Government of India.

This information was given by Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.

India's Youth should be represented in 2010 CWG: Sports Ministry

As part of its volunteer programme for the Commonwealth Games, the sports ministry has instructed the CWG Organising Committee to recruit youngsters from across the country so that India's youth can be represented properly in the 2010 Delhi event.

"Ministry of Sports' firm view is that India's youth should be represented in Delhi at the Commonwealth Games as volunteers. The Organising Committee has been clearly instructed that apart from the students of Delhi there should be a good representation among volunteers from youth and students from all over the country, a release said.

"It has been decided that volunteers will be sourced as below: National Service Scheme (8000), National Cadet Corps (5000), Trainees of Sports Authority of India (1250), Sportspersons from NSFs (1250), College students of Delhi (6500), Trainees of Hospitality Sector from Ministry of Tourism (3000)," it added.

Sports minister MS Gill has also called for the inclusion of north-eastern students be included as volunteers.

"Dr MS Gill, Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports has also directed that a large contingent of students from the North East States who are in Delhi will also be included among the college students of Delhi," the release said.

"The students of NCC, NSS, SAI trainees will be sourced from all over the country," it added.