After Commonwealth Games, tax waiver for Hockey World Cup

After the Commonwealth Games, the Delhi government has decided to waive off taxes for the Hockey World Cup to be held from February 28-March 13 at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium. The government has decided to waive off all revenue collected as entertainment and luxury tax from the organisers of the tournament. This will cost the government exchequer Rs six crore.

Although the officials concerned were not keen on giving the waiver, the decision was left to Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Hockey India representatives had met Delhi Chief Secretary, Rakesh Mehta, earlier this month demanding waiver of entertainment tax on tickets and luxury tax on hotel rooms to be booked for delegates.

Earlier this month, the Delhi cabinet had waived off luxury tax to the tune of Rs 30 crore on hotel rooms booked by the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee for athletes, delegates, sport physicians and international mediapersons.

HI to appoint retired high court judge

Hockey India (HI) on Wednesday told the Delhi High Court that it would appoint a retired High Court or Supreme Court judge as the Returning Officer for its elections.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice AP Shah asked the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and HI to file their response on how they were planning to conduct the election and suggest the name of the retired judge who could be appointed as their Returning Officer.

Meanwhile, the Centre informed the court that differences with HI have been sorted out after the sports body agreed to follow its suggestion on conduct of the election. The court was hearing a PIL questioning how the sports body is functioning and alleged irregularities in the conduct of the election.

The election, however, has been put on hold after the Rajasthan High Court last week restrained HI from conducting the exercise. The Centre had earlier approached the High Court challenging HI’s appointment of GS Mander.

CWG workers in bad shape: HC

Has anyone spared a thought for the approximately 15,000 labourers toiling day and night in rough weather to make Delhi a world-class city for the 2010 Commonwealth Games?

If a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Delhi High Court based on two surveys is to be believed, they are working and living in highly dangerous and deplorable conditions.

They earn lower than the stipulated wage and have no access to even the most basic sanitation and health facilities.

A bench comprising of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice R S Endlaw has sought the response of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and agencies in charge of the construction -- DDA, CPWD, NDMC and MCD - on the PIL filed by People’s Union For Democratic Rights, an NGO, by February 3.

The bench asked government counsel Najmi Waziri to take instructions about whether the government can form a committee to oversee the welfare of the labourers, including payment of minimum wages.

Senior lawyer and human rights activist Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the NGO, told the Bench that the plight of the 1982 Asiad workers was also the same, till the Supreme Court intervened on the same NGO’s petition and ordered improvement of their conditions.

Alleging that the Minimum Wages Act was being violated, he contended that while it was Rs 151 in Delhi, most of the workers at Commonwealth Games sites were being given between Rs 100 and 114 and also not being paid double wages for overtime. The PIL claimed that workers were not being provided proper safety equipments.

“It is known that one worker died in December 2008. Many deaths were occurring but are going unrecorded,” it said.

Gonsalves also demanded issuance of proper ID cards to workers.

He complained of unhygienic conditions in camps, with irrregular supply of power and water and an insufficient number of toilets.

The PIL wanted setting up of an independent committee by the court to visit sites, so that it can see for itself the plight of the labourers.

Prasar Bharati official broadcaster for Commonwealth Games

Prasar Bharati has taken the rights of live telecast of the Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi in October this year. Mr Baljit Singh Lalli, Chief Executive Officer of the Prasar Bharati said here today that the rights have been taken for the live telecast on Doordarshan and live transmission on AIR in India only.

Talking to mediapersons here, he said the Prasar Bharati will have first right of telecasting/transmitting in India for the live coverage of the 12-day international event.

He said Doordarshan, the public broadcaster will switch over to complete digitalisation of its terrestrial infrastructure within 8 years.

DD currently has 1,435 Analog TV transmitters, with a single TV being broadcast in service in 7 or 8 MHz bandwidth. The broadcaster has been given the mandate of complete digitalisation of its terrestrial infrastructure by 2017, he added. Asked about the improvement of programmes of DD he said, ''We do not enter any competition with any one and will remain as the public broadcaster as Parliament has already declared.'' He, however, admitted that there was scope of improvement in programmes of the channel.

He said Doordarshan centres at Jalandhar and Chandigarh had been promoting regional language writers by organising various programmes. He said the direct to home (DTH) service of Prasar Bharati will by introduced more Free to Air channels. Earlier Mr Lalli inaugurated the three- day 26th international Punjabi Conference at Punjabi University here. In his speech, he expressed concern that an ominous trend had developed that the new generation of educated and elite Punjabi families were gradually shunning learning and use of Punjabi language in their day-to-day life and prefer to converse in Hindi or English. Speaking in the same vein, Vice Chancellor Dr Jaspal Singh said use of Punjabi in conversation at home by the Punjabis will not only keep the language ticking but will also fight back the challenges posed by languages which have emerged as a vehicle of globalisation now.

He, however, cautioned the experts not to involve themselves in witch-hunting and narrow technical niceties and provide liberal atmosphere for development of Punjabi in the fields literature, Science and Information Technology.

Punjabi Tribune Editor Varinder Singh Walia said Punjabi should be made the language of science and technology as it has a lot of potential for these fields.

Dr Daljit Singh, senior Director of Doordarshan Kendra, Jalandhar also spoke on the occasion.

World Cup snub big boost for Coast Games bid

A POSSIBLY fatal blow to Australia's $45 million bid to host the 2018 soccer World Cup could be good news for the Gold Coast with a renewed push to get vital Federal Government funding for the 2018 Commonwealth Games bid.

Soccer governing body FIFA yesterday announced it would probably only consider bids from European countries to host the 2018 Cup, the snub raising hopes the Federal Government will now abandon its stumbling bid and concentrate on the more realistic attempt to lure the Commonwealth Games to the Gold Coast.

But it is not all smooth sailing for the Commonwealth Games bid team, with speculation Geoff Dixon -- the NSW-based chairman of Queensland Events who had been conducting a feasibility study for the Games to come to the Gold Coast -- will now be given a bigger role in the World Cup bid process.

In November Mr Dixon was appointed by the Federal Government to assist with the World Cup bid and is now expected to take on a more high-profile role.

Premier Anna Bligh said yesterday the FIFA announcement could benefit the Coast.

"This is good news for our Commonwealth Games bid. It's now full steam ahead and we will be working hard to get everyone on board," she said.

Although Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has given his support for the Commonwealth Games bid he has refused to contribute any funding because of the $45 million contributed to the more risky World Cup hosting attempt.

If Australia does continue with a bid for the 2022 World Cup it will be up against the United States, Qatar, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea.

The Australian Commonwealth Games Association is due to meet early this year to decide whether an Australian bid for the 2018 games will proceed.

Commonwealth Games: HC notices to govt for 'violation' of labour laws

The Delhi high court today sought a response from the Centre for its alleged failure to provide all thebenefits of labour laws to workers involved in construction work for the coming Commonwealth Games.

A bench headed by chief justice AP Shah issued a notice to the Centre and asked it to file the response by February 3 when the matter would be taken up for further hearing.

The Court passed the order on a PIL filed by civil rights group Peoples Union for Democratic Rights which submitted that the Centre has failed to force private companies to abide by the labour laws.

"The government and its agencies as well as their numerous contractors have got used to the idea that they are not accountable for the working and living conditions and can pass up their responsibility, ignoring the legal requirements.

This has resulted in inhuman conditions for construction workers in Delhi," the advocate, appearing for the group, said.

The rights group pleaded the court should intervene to correct the impression and to bring relief to poor and vulnerable 4,15,000 contract daily wage workers who are working on these projects.

The NGO pleaded there has been rampant violation of labour laws which has come to light when it conducted an inquiry.

It pointed out that minimum wages were not paid to most of the workers and the wages were irregularly paid with considerable delay and with contractor's often withholding part of the wages.

It pointed out that there has been death of several workers at the work site which have not been recorded and the safety equipment were often not made available to workers.

"Wage slips were not given to the workers in accordance with law. As a result, the workers had no proof whatsoever that they were employed and many of the workers were living in rooms, eight persons to a room without doors, without protection during winter, without electricity and without toilets," the petition said.

"The workers who came from Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Punjab were not given the benefits of the Interstate Migrant Workers Act and were totally at the mercy of the contractors and they are never given a weekly off with wages as required by the Minimum Wages Act and are required to work on all seven days," the petition said.

Commonwealth Games' costs 'out of control'

The cost of the 2014 Commonwealth Games is “out of control” because inflation and pensions were excluded from its budget, the Tories have claimed.

Holyrood's public audit committee heard that the Glasgow event's supposed £374 million price tag is likely to be exceeded.

Inflation costs, which are unknown, and £2.5 million of pension payments for the Games’ 900 workers are likely to require the use of an £80 million contingency fund.

But Liz Hunter, the Scottish Executive director of equalities, social inclusion and sport, told the committee the true cost will not be known for another three years.

She admitted the budget will almost certainly rise, but claimed it is unlikely to exceed the total amount of money available, including the contingency, of £454 million.

“Even with inflation the £374 million will be more than enough right up to the very end of the process. By that point it will be clear how much of the contingency will be required,” she told MSPs.

But Derek Brownlee, Scottish Tory finance spokesman, said the Games were “just another example of a project that is out of control”.

James Kelly, Labour MSP for Glasgow Rutherglen, added that it is “staggering” that inflation costs were not factored into the budget.

Ian Reid, finance manager for the organisers, said pension costs needed to be met because of a recent change in the law. Previously there had been no mandatory requirement to do so.

Hugh Henry a Labour MSP and committee convener, requested a copy of the rules for pension payouts because of a “growing concern over public sector pensions”.

The committee also heard that television rights to broadcast the Games have been sold to Australia. Negotiations are ongoing with the BBC, according to John Scott, chief executive of Glasgow 2014 Ltd.

He also admitted ticket sales were “revised down” in the budget. George Black, Glasgow City Council chief executive, told the committee he could not provide costs for the athletes’ village but hoped to do so soon.

Panjab Varsity claim varsities tennis trophy

Spearheaded by 2010 Commonwealth Games probable Vijayant Malik, Panjab University annexed the All-India Inter-University Tennis Championship by outplaying Delhi University in the final with a 3-1 margin at the Haryana Agriculture University, Hisar today.

The North Zone Varsities champions squad consisting of Vijayant Malik, Mandeep Singh Gill, Gurmohit, Simarveer and Shekhar was given a rousing start by lanky Vijayant Malik, a trainee of Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association, who outserved and outstroked Prateek Bhambri of Delhi University in straight sets 6-2, 6-1.

However, Aditya Jain restored parity for Delhi University by prevailing over Mandeep Singh of Panjab University by 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) in the second singles. Vijayant Malik and Mandeep Gill combined well to defeat the Delhi University pair of Prateek Bhambri and Rubal in straight sets 6-2, 6-0.

International Vijayant Malik sealed the fate of Delhi by defeating Aditya Jain in straight sets 6-1, 6-0 in the reverse singles.

Vijayant Malik and Gurmohit are students of DAV College, Sector 10 while Simarveer, Mandeep Singh Gill and Shekhar are students of Panjab University campus.

Eight Track Athletes for Commonwealth Games

ATHLETICS will have only eight of the 48 athletes that Uganda has entered for the Commonwealth Games that are due in New Delhi October 3-14. There will be 29 officials, minus the general team officials.

Chef de Mission William Tumwine revealed last week that the tentative list of both the athletes and officials will total 77, minus the rugby entourage whose costs will be covered by the International Rugby Board.

"The list was entered and this is the total we are considering. We might however make some changes in the different disciplines, but we can not go over the total," said Tumwine.

Shooting and archery are back in the games with two and four athletes each, while squash will make its international debut with four athletes.

"We will be sourcing for more tickets for the other team members after the organizers offered 20," explained Tumwine. Uganda's entourage will have 17 female athletes.

The other disciplines that have been entered for the games include swimming (4), badminton (6), boxing (4), cycling (4), table tennis (4), tennis (4) and weightlifting (4).

Meanwhile, athletes gunning qualification to the world cross country championships reignite their campaign this weekend, when they take part in regional championships.

According to tathletics federation publicist Namayo Mawerere, the Kyabazinga cross country for the Busoga region will take place at Jinja while the western and eastern events take place in Rukungiri and Amuria respectively on Saturday.

The regions will use the events to select teams for the national championship in Amuria on February 6.

The top performers in Amuria will make the team to the world championship March 28 in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Buganda, northern and West Nile regions held their competitions a fortnight ago.