Commonwealth chief to take up Games workers' deaths in India

Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma says Indian authorities should look into allegations that 43 workers have died on sites being built for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

In remarks made ahead of an official visit to India, Sharma said that although it was not in his remit, he would discuss the allegations - made by a five-member panel set up by Delhi High Court to look into workers' conditions at Games sites - during his stay in New Delhi.

I have read what you have. I hope the wrongs will be corrected. India has a large commitment to the games. From that angle, I hope these are looked at, Sharma, who leaves for India Friday, told journalists Monday.

We are not the direct interlocutors. It is for the Indian side and the Commonwealth Games Federation to do this. But, the Games are like a flagship of the Commonwealth. We stay in touch off and on, he added.

The Times newspaper last week quoted panel member Arundhati Ghosh, former Indian ambassador to the UN, as saying: This could have been an occasion to show the rest of the country how to do things, but they haven't. You can't be proud if you treat the people who built the venue so badly.

Mike Hooper, chief executive of the London-based Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), told the paper he backed the panel's recommendations, adding: There is no excuse for operators or contractors to circumvent the laws of India.

Sharma, who will meet with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal, said he was confident Delhi would be ready in time for the Games and that the event would be a big success.