Nehru stadium to miss March deadline

As the first day of the review meeting of the coordination commission (CoCom) with the organising committee kicked off on Monday,sources admitted that the OC has a tough job ahead.From venue operationalization to procurement details, the CoCom would be looking at a much-improved preparation schedule to the Commonwealth Games 2010 — a task that, sources say, could get a jolt with the delay in operations of some of the key venues, specially Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
Said a senior official, ‘‘Though most of the venues are expected to be ready on schedule around March, the JN Stadium could get delayed beyond that.’’ This was also discussed at the annual general meeting held earlier this month, where it was revealed that JN Stadium may be handed over to the OC as late as May-June.
Incidentally, the stadium is the venue for not only the opening and closing ceremonies but is also the competitive venue for athletics and weightlifting.

Venue operationalization had been one of the major concerns of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) at the general assembly meeting held in October this year. At that time, CGF chief Mike Fennell had raised questions about the OC’s preparedness on this front, apart from other areas of concern like the lack of international experts for various functional areas as well as procurement for the Games. OC officials, however, claimed the concerns raised at that time had all been addressed in the intervening two months.

While Kalmadi said ‘‘considerable progress’’ had been made in all areas since the last CoCom visit in May, he cited advances made in the functioning of the OC with a more relevant workforce as well as the appointment of experts in various key functional areas as right steps. ‘‘Finances are under control, with revenue from sales of TV rights having already exceeded expectations,’’ Kalmadi added.

That the OC is expecting positive feedback from the review meeting is apparent as secretary, ministry of sports, Sindhushree Khullar, candidly admitted that constructive advise was expected from the CoCom. ‘‘A lot of time has been spent in explaining things instead of getting on with the task of ensuring the Games are conducted well. The level of monitoring the progress of the Games has gone up. Your (CoCom) advice will help us get on with it,’’ said Khullar.

CoCom members were tightlipped about the meeting, with Mike Hooper, CGF representative in India refusing to comment on how the presentations went. The CoCom is expected to present its report to Fennell later this week.

Workers of Commonwealth Games sites demand rights, plan strike

Work on all Commonwealth Games projects will come to a standstill on Wednesday, as the labourers plan to go on strike. The workers complain that their basic rights such as provisions for clean drinking water, toilets, canteen and dispensary, are not being met.

They also claim that Rs 80 to Rs 90 given to them as wages is not enough and they are not provided benefits such as provident fund and Employees’ State Insurance.

A member of the labour group said: “The government has so many labour rights on paper but they are not being followed. The money that comes for the labourers ends up in the pockets of the Labour department officers.

All labourers working on the Games Village site, IGI Airport flyover, shopping complexes and a few of the Metro projects will gather at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday morning to register their protest. They also plan to submit their demands to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The demonstration will be organised by the Bharatiya Labour Union and will be lead by former MP Hari Kewal Prasad, MP Harsh Vardhan and MP Brij Bhushan Saran Singh.

Sealy assures CoCom’s cooperation

The Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Co-ordination Commission (CoCom), Austin Sealy, on Monday assured CoCom’s cooperation to the Organising Committee (OC) Commonwealth Games and the Central and Delhi governments.

“We are all working towards the same goal – that of producing a successful Games next year,” Mr. Sealy said during the opening session of the CoCom meeting here.

OC Chairman Suresh Kalmadi was confident that CoCom would find considerable progress in all functional areas. “I have always maintained that CoCom meetings are good opportunities to introspect and review what needed to be done to achieve set milestones and timelines,” Mr. Kalmadi said.

He explained on the hiring of more workforce, which had risen from 228 in May to 680 in December, for the Games. “We have total clarity in the management structure, with each functional area having separate heads.”

The OC has selected 200 others to be recruited next month and hopes to increase the workforce to 1600 during the Games time.

Mr. Kalmadi claimed that the finances were under control with the signing of some major sponsors.

The meetings will be held till Wednesday after which CoCom would present its report to the CGF President Michael Fennell.

Successful Games common goal: COCOM chief

The CGF’s Co-ordination Commission (COCOM) began its three-day meeting to review the preparations of the Commonwealth Games on Monday by assuring the organisers of its full support for the 2010 event.

During the opening session of the sixth meeting of COCOM, chairman Austin Sealy of Barbados said all parties involved were working to make the Games a success. “We are all working towards the same goal — that of producing a successful Games next year,” Sealy said.

The meeting comes two months after Commonwealth Games Federation president Mike Fennell slammed the Organising Committee for the slow pace of work. However, CGF CEO Mike Hooper told The Indian Express on Thursday that significant changes had taken place in the work preparations since October.

OC chairman Suresh Kalmadi also said the eight-member COCOM would find considerable progress in all areas since it last visited the Capital in May. “This meeting is a good opportunity to introspect and review what needs to be done to achieve set milestones and timelines,” Kalmadi said.

“We have total clarity in management structure, with each functional area having separate heads,” he said, adding that the workforce had increased from 228 in May to 680 as on date. “About 200 others have been selected to join in next month. We will go up to 1600,” he added.

Kalmadi also mentioned that the revenue from TV rights and sponsorship deals had already exceeded expectations. “Against projected revenues of $30 million, we have already secured deals worth $42 million,” he said. “Major sponsorship deals had been signed and many more offers are under finalisation in the areas of banking, logistics, food and beverage, technology, transport and overlays provider etc.”

Sports secretary Sindhurshree Khullar sought COCOM’s advice in the Games preparations. “A lot of time has been spent in explaining things instead of getting on with the task of ensuring that the Games are conducted well. The level of monitoring the progress of the Games has gone up. Your advice will help us get on with it,” she said.

The meetings will be held through Wednesday evening after which COCOM would present its report to CGF president Fennell, who is expected to arrive in the city on Wednesday.

Apart from Sealy, COCOM also comprises Bruce Robertson (Canada), Sharad Rao (Kenya), Lisa Hindson (Australia), Perry Crosswhite (Australia), Chris Jenkins (Wales), Gideon Sam (South Africa) and Mike Hooper (CEO CGF).

Commonwealth Games panel gets tax breaks

Commonwealth Games 2010, to be hosted by Delhi, has got another booster dose from the Central Government.

The Finance Ministry has given tax exemption to the organising committee on certain estimated income of Rs 1,450 crore from the international sporting event.

The categories
A major portion of the tax give-away has been for sponsorship receipts, which are estimated to be Rs 960 crore.

Tax exemption will also be available on income from international broadcasting to the tune of Rs 182 crore. The other receipts that have been tax exempt are domestic broadcasting (Rs 66 crore), ticketing (Rs 100 crore), licensed merchandise (Rs 50 crore) and donations (Rs 100 crore).

A Central Board of Direct Taxes spokesman confirmed the Income-Tax department's move to provide tax exemption to the Organising Committee Commonwealth Games.

The income-tax exemption comes on the heels of the Centre's move to provide a Rs 350-crore loan to the committee through the first batch of supplementary demand for grants for 2009-10.

The Centre has also provided a grant of Rs 50 crore for preparation of team for commonwealth games and Rs 12 crore for creation of venue for the international sporting event.

Till 2010 Commonwealth Games, free charging ports for electric cars

Power discom BSES will install free-of-cost charging posts for electric vehicles across Delhi.

The east-Delhi discom, BSES Yamuna, installed the first such post at IP Extension on Monday.

Electric vehicles can be charged free of cost till the Commonwealth Games next year, as a contribution to the government’s “green” tag to the Games, officials said.

Monday was also the National Energy Conservation day.

To begin with, this facility will be available at various locations in central and east Delhi. The discom has signed an agreement with electric carmaker Reva, which enjoys a government subsidy in Delhi.

The first charge port is at BYPL's 66KV Grid Store (near Hasanpur Depot) in I P Extension.

“Energy conservation is the need of the hour. Working towards energy conservation is a step in the right direction to combat global warming,” said Ramesh Narayanan, CEO, BYPL.

A similar initiative will also be rolled out in south and west Delhi. The location of each of these charge ports are being selected on the basis of customer data of electric vehicles users," said a company official.

“Delhi registers the highest number of cars and their per capita usage in India.

With increasing popularity of zero-emission electric vehicles, it is only a matter of time that environment-conscious Delhiites reduce their carbon footprint and switch to greener modes of transport,” said Narayanan.

“BYPL is also looking to encourage the use of electric vehicles amongst its work force,” added Mr Narayanan.

There are around 170 users of electric vehicles, mainly the Reva. There are a few scooter as well.

Experts have long argued that charging ports are needed across the city so as to encourage people about buying these vehicles.

Smith’s next target is place in Commonwealth Games

KIDDERMINSTER swimmer Amy Smith has turned her attentions to the Commonwealth Games after bringing the curtain down on her European Short Course campaign.

The 22-year-old bowed out of the competition after clocking 24.75 seconds in her 50m freestyle semi-final in Istanbul.

Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands led the way — stopping the clock at 24.75 secs — with Josefin Lillage of Sweden second in 24.28.

Despite heading home empty-handed, the Wyre Forest Swimming Club member insists she’s desperate to take in the Delhi Games in 2010.

“I’m pleased with that, it’s not a personal best but it’s a good way to sign off from the competition,” said Smith.

“It’s one of my main events so I would have been really gutted if I hadn’t made the semi but I did so I can enjoy the occasion.

“I was on the outside but if you get a lane you’re in the contest so I gave it my all.

“It’s back training all the way up to Christmas now and then I’ll start planning how I can hit the trials hard.

“I want to get to the Common-wealth Games, I went to Melbourne in 2006 and it was an amazing experience. Even if it’s just as a member of the relay squad I’ll take it because it is such a good event.”

The Istanbul championships represented the final opportunity for international swimmers to pull on the controversial go-faster suits that have set world records tumbling this year.

After forming part of Great Britain’s relay squad at the World Championships in Rome where 43 new records were set, Smith admits she’'ll watch with interest when the first results of 2010 come in.

“I’m not sure how it’s going to change things but it seems pretty certain that it’s going to hit different people in different ways,” added Smith.

The nation’s leading energy supplier, British Gas, is the principal partner of British swimming, suppor-ting the sport at all levels: ‘From paddling pool to podium’.

CoCom has assured full support for 2010 Games, say organisers

The visiting Co-ordination Commission (CoCom) panel of the Commonwealth Games Federation has assured full support for the 2010 Games in the capital, organisers of the multi-discipline event claimed here today.

During the opening session of the sixth meeting of the CoCom, chairman Austin Sealy has assured the host city and the Indian government of their full support in conducting the Games scheduled from October 3-14, 2010, the Organising Committee (OC) said in a statement.

"We are all working towards the same goal -- that of producing a successful Games next year," Sealy was quoted as saying.

OC chairman Suresh Kalmadi, on his part, assured the CoCom that it would find considerable progress in all areas since they last visited the country in May.

"I have always maintained that CoCom meetings are good opportunities to introspect and review what needed to be done to achieve set milestones and timelines," Kalmadi said.

Kalmadi spelled out how the OC had beefed up its workforce, recruiting people with relevant industry experience.

"We have total clarity in management structure, with each functional area having separate heads," he said, pointing out the workforce had risen from 228 in May to 680 as on date.

"As many as 200 others have been selected to join in next month. We will go up to 1600 during Games time," he added.