Capital Mascara : Has The City Lost Its Priorities In The Rush For Cosmetic Nirvana?

In typical realtor-speak, it's being advertised as "the finest address in the heart of Delhi", and the Commonwealth Games Village is, truly, the stuff of real estate fantasies. Walk through its well-secured gates, and find yourself amid swathes of green, dotted with a swimming pool, a health club, tennis courts and, of course, 34 towers containing 1,168 flats that reek of 5-star comfort. Their decor may be minimalist, but the tone is one of overwhelming opulence.

Built in partnership between the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and developers Emaar MGF, the Village will give 8,000 international Commonwealth athletes the chance of living India's gated community dream. But outside the gates, the voices of protest aren't dying down; indeed, the critics are multiplying in number. For them, this plush "village" is not a dream world but a nightmare; the controversy around it a mirror of the larger public debate around the CWG itself.

Environmentalists believe Delhi will live to regret constructing these massive buildings on the banks of the Yamuna. They predict that the village will hamper the flow of groundwater that replenishes the seasonal river, effectively choking it. Despite a July 2009 Supreme Court verdict authorising the construction of these apartments, critics remain unconvinced. "It is almost suicide, but we are going through with it," says architect, urban planner and conservation consultant A.G.K. Menon. Even a cabinet minister confessed to Outlook, off the record: "Nobody can explain the justification for building the CWG Village on the banks of the Yamuna. Nor can I understand the logic of having the games somewhere else, and the village across a river."

Environmental concerns apart, some critics are also saddened by the contrast between the Asian Games in 1982, for which architects were selected on the basis of democratic competitions, and the Commonwealth Games, where no time was wasted for democracy. Raj Rewal, who won the competition to design the Asian Games Village near Delhi's Siri Fort Complex, says, "Now you have a case of architecturally illiterate promoters bringing in professionals who are far from being the world's leading architects. India's younger group of brilliant planners and architects have lost out as a consequence."

Beware of dengue during Games

Medicos in the national Capital have expressed apprehensions that the Capital may experience a dengue pandemic during the Commonwealth Games. According to sources, in a recent review of the Commonwealth Games health plan, a panel of doctors has said that dengue might take the form of an epidemic during the Games.

Sources added that in the review meeting, doctors said that if necessary steps are not taken it will be very tough to control dengue during the event.

Owing to construction works going on in most of the areas of the national Capital, grounds have been excavated and water has accumulated in the construction pits.

“Doctors have said stagnant water at different construction sites would be an ideal place for the breeding of Aedes aegypti, the mosquito responsible for the spread of the disease. This would make the dengue menace assume epidemic proportions during the Games. October is the month that records the largest number of dengue cases,” added the source.

In the meeting, attended by top officials of the health department, doctors have also said that areas having stagnant water should be cleared as soon as possible as this might even lead to an outbreak of dengue earlier then anticipated.

Asked about the preparedness of the civic agency to tackle the menace of dengue, Municipal Health Officer NK Yadav said that the civic agency is all set to deal with any emergency. “We are ready for dengue this time. Around 3,500 trained people have been hired and teams have been formed. They will be on duty from the second week of April instead of June. We have made all necessary arrangements in advance,” said Yadav. He further said that 12 rapid response teams have been formed to deal with any adverse situation.

Yadav said doctors have been appointed keeping in view the threat of dengue. “We have appointed doctors and field officers. The field officers will have to inspect their respective areas on a daily basis and prepare reports,” Yadav said.

Yadav said it is a well known fact that dengue is at its peak during the month of October as the most number of cases are registered in this month. But there is nothing to fear as ‘we are all set to tackle the menace,’ he said. He also added that the civic agency will run a series of awareness programmes to create awareness among the general public on the matter. A total of around 1,150 cases were registered in the national Capital in 2009 and two deaths were reported due to the disease.

Edinburgh residents handed Delhi games chance

THREE lucky Edinburgh residents are set to win the chance of taking part in the closing ceremony of the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games.
The ceremony is being held on 14 October and a major part of the event will see Glasgow and Scotland make the first public statement to the Commonwealth, and the world, by presenting a hand-over ceremony.

This will set the scene for the four years leading up to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, and mark the start of an amazing journey for athletes, citizens and communities of Scotland and the Commonwealth towards the biggest sporting event Scotland has hosted.

Organisers are planning a dance routine with a cast of approximately 400 amateur volunteers from all across Scotland and from all walks of life.

Any local resident over 18 who is fit, enthusiastic and regularly makes a contribution to the community can apply to take part.

The panel will select six finalists to be interviewed and then select the three lucky residents who will travel to Delhi.

Applications can be downloaded at www.edinburgh.gov.uk and entries must be received by 12 April.

Burmester earns right to defend 200m butterfly gold at Delhi 2010

Commonwealth Games 2006 Melbourne gold medallist Moss Burmester (New Zealand) will be in Delhi to defend his 200m butterfly title, after going half a second under the qualifying time at the National Swimming Championship at the West Wave Aquatic Centre in Waitakere on Monday.

Burmester turned at the 100m in 55.60 and won in 1:57.43, half a second inside the qualifying mark, according to reports in New Zealand media. He was one of three to qualify on the opening night of the championship that is double up as Commonwealth Games trials, with qualifying times only able to be set in the finals.

The America-based Lauren Boyle has qualified for her second Commonwealth Games after winning the women's 200m freestyle while 20-year-old Natalie Wiegersma became the first Southland swimmer in 20 years to qualify when she broke her own New Zealand record in the 200m individual medley.

“There was a fair bit of pressure I guess and for me it was about getting the job done and getting that qualifying time,” Burmester told reporters. “I am still getting used to competing without the suit. My training times have been pretty similar but I am used to putting on the suit and stepping up probably mentally as much as physically. I am now getting used to racing without it.

“I dropped off a bit coming home. I took a breath about five metres out so I will get a bit of a bollocking from my coach about that. It's pleasing and a relief to get the qualifying time. There's a lot of hard work to go. I always want to go better than I have done before so I want to go to Delhi and defend the gold,” Burmester said.