Five New Players on Commonwealth Rugby Team

Rugby Cranes 7s coach John Musoke has named five uncapped players in his provisional squad for the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India later this year.

Among them is Entebbe Mongers' eighth man Andrew Olweny who is finally being rewarded for his stellar performance in other Nile Special Rugby Premier League over the past two seasons.

ock Ambrose Kakuru, Olweny's teammate at Mongers, also made the grade as the team starts training this Sunday for the October games. Tobias Senkima (G4S Pirates), Lenny Kikonyogo, Ronald Mussajja and Francis Odong, all from Rhino, are the other new names on the team which will be trimmed to 12 before making the trip.

"My selection is based on experience, size and skill," Musoke told a media briefing in Lugogo yesterday. The players include; Joel Anguyo, Ambrose Kamanyire, Lawrence Wakabi, John Paul Semakula, Moses Soita, Timothy Ddumba, Dan Canowira. Michael Wokorach is also part of the 19.

Indian security 'thwarts Games attacks'

Many potential attacks on the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi have already been thwarted, according to Indian officials who are promising "foolproof" security.

The weekend bombings outside the stadium at an Indian Premier League cricket match in Bangalore which injured at least 10 people have revived international jitters about the safety of those attending the October 3-14 Games.

The blasts rekindled fears aroused by the February bombing at a cafe in Pune, east of Mumbai, which killed 17 people, and the Mumbai attacks which killed more than 170 less than 18 months ago.

But high ranking Indian Games official T.S. Darbari has reassured Australian athletes and challenged suggestions that their visiting family and supporters could be at risk when outside the sporting venues or beyond protection perimeters.

"Delhi is very, very safe (and) secure - not only for the sports people who are coming but also for their families and for the tourists," Darbari told AAP.

Darbari, joint director general of the Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games 2010, is leading a delegation to Australia accompanying the Queen's baton relay.

He echoed the sentiments from Delhi that Games security measures will be unprecedented.

"I know what the plan is that is being formulated, I can't share the details, but let me tell you it is foolproof."

India's delegation also includes D.R. Kaarthikeyan, a former director of his country's Central Bureau Investigation.

Kaarthikeyan, one of many security experts advising Games officials, says statistics show that nearly all potential attacks are thwarted.

"When something succeeds, you can see 99 have been prevented," he told AAP.

He would not divulge specific measures to protect Delhi from terrorist attacks but did reveal that security agencies have already stopped potential attacks in the host city.

"So many are being rounded up, so many have been detected," Kaarthikeyan said.

"But then they will not be discussed in public. What have been prevented, what have been planned and the stage of plotting itself, that does not come out."

Tourists can expect obvious signs of security in Delhi streets during the Games but most measures will be covert.

"They feel more assured when they see a lot of policemen around and gunmen around, because we cannot take chances," he said.

Kaarthikeyan also said security was so tight in India's major cities that attackers were resorting to small disruptions in rural and regional areas.

Now, loo with an aquarium

In an effort to beautify its public urinals ahead of the Commonwealth Games, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has installed an aquarium in one of its loos at Shahjahan Road. While the civic agency is looking at other viable options to make public loos look more pleasant, it hasn't ruled out installing aquariums at other urinals as well.

NDMC is constructing 25 new public toilets in New Delhi area in time for the Games and is also upgrading 42 existing toilets. These will be constructed and maintained by a private company which will be allowed to advertise on these toilet blocks for generating revenue.

"For providing better service, the toilets — coming up at strategic locations like Shanker Market, Ashoka Road, Gole Market, Janpath Lane, near RML Hospital, Parliament Street, KG Marg, etc — are expected to have diaper-changing boards, shelves among others. We have started construction work for new toilets and are upgrading the existing ones. We want these to be more visually-appealing for the public and have installed an aquarium in one toilet at Shahjahan Road. We will look at installing more aquariums in other urinals, if it is viable," said an NDMC official. The public will not be charged for using them.

Work on the upgrade of 42 other toilets north of Rajpath has also started. There will be minor structural changes at these to ensure easy maintenance. Added an official: "New glasses, toilet pots and washbasins are being added and once the toilets are ready, NDMC's health department will keep a regular check on their cleanliness. The company advertising on these toilet blocks and eight of our garbage stations will pay us Rs 22 lakh per month."

New Delhi to be first Indian city to forecast air quality

India’s capital, which will host the Commonwealth Games in October, isn’t just getting a fresh coat of paint, several overpasses, hotels and roads, and assorted sports infrastructure towards this.

It is also getting its own air quality forecasting system.

And so, New Delhi will become the first city in the country to be able to provide, 48 hours in advance, a pollution forecast, much like a weather forecast.

French firms Aria Technologies SA and Leosphere SA, which created a similar forecasting system for the Beijing Olympics (2008), are helping New Delhi create its pollution forecast. India doesn’t have an official pollution forecasting system.

“Our goal in Beijing was to put together a pollution index for the Games. Paris, which has a similar system, uses the information to control pollutants in the near future. This (the pollution forecasting system in New Delhi) is a first for South Asia,” said Sarath Guttikunda, deputy programme manager, Aria.

The two French firms are working with India’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to create the system. Leosphere manufactures hardware and software for the laser-based monitoring systems and Aria Technologies develops and distributes air quality modelling systems.

The New Delhi project is sponsored by the French government. Officials at its embassy in New Delhi declined comment, saying they were not authorized to speak to the media.

“After the Games, CPCB will take it forward. We will be training the board so that they will be able to continue the forecasting,” added Guttikunda.

CPCB has the mandate for collecting and releasing data on air pollution. It does provide real-time data on the concentration of various pollutants in New Delhi. However, this is point-in-time data, not a forecast.

The new initiative will help it do better, said an official at CPCB. “The focus is on better understanding of pollution for national, regional and urban areas. This will be continued after the Games also. Delhi is just the pilot and we hope we can replicate it for other cities,” said Prashant Gargava, environmental engineer and in charge for computer division, CPCB. “Advance warning and information on ambient air quality can help citizens in planning outdoor activities. It can be used for planning air quality management systems, understanding sources of pollution and how to manage them.”

however, it wasn’t clear whether New Delhi would emulate Beijing’s aggressive environmental management.

In Beijing, where the forecasts were available five days in advance, officials “used it as a policy tool, through which they planned their short-term pollution control methods. They had a clear target, which was to meet air quality standards during games,” said Anumita Roy Chowdhary, associate director, Centre for Science and Environment, an environmental activist organization.

“They ordered three million cars off the roads and shut down industries to meet the standard,” she said, adding that New Delhi should have a similar plan.

Guttikunda, too, would like to see CPCB or other agencies use the data to good effect. “Our objective is to persuade the agencies to make an informed decision on pollution control rather than an ad hoc one.”

The forecasting system that is being put in place will use Lidar (light detection and ranging) technology. The process involves a laser beam which is released and captured, with the before-after difference being converted into concentrations of various pollutants.

The system will also factor in regional data because it is needed to make an accurate forecast, said Guttikunda. For instance, data from Rajasthan can help predict dust storms in New Delhi.

Guttikunda said the main aim of air quality forecasting should be public health. “For instance, Delhi is known as the asthma capital of the country. Air pollution, especially particulate, is linked to respiratory disorders and advisories could be based on such advance warning system for better public health.”

Several cities in other parts of the world do issue such health advisories.

Sheila promises first ever green CWG

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today expressed confidence about grand success of the Commonwealth Games 2010 and promised that these will be the ''first ever green Games'' in the world.

''Entire infrastructure is being developed on the concept of green building. The Commonwealth Games in Delhi will be first ever green Games in the world.''Ms Dikshit said.

''There has been a perfect coordination between different agencies involved in making preparations for the Games as their assignments were clearly defined and there was no overlapping at all,'' the Chief Minister maintained.

There will be no opportunity to pick the holes after the CWG, she added.

She was speaking during a panel discussion on ''Delhi 2010: The Games and the Commonwealth'' at India Habitat Centre, here.

The discussion was also joined by the Union Minister for Urban Development Jaipal Reddy, Chairman of the CWG Organising Committee Suresh Kalmadi, Indian Olympic Association Secretary-General Randhir Singh and others.

Highlighting that the hosting of 19th Commonwealth Games in Delhi has provided an excellent opportunity to simultaneously undertake a number of infrastructural projects, Ms Dikshit said, ''We are going to substantially achieve infrastructure development immediately after the Games, which otherwise would have taken a decade or so.'' ''We are on show as a country and we will do all we can to stage a world-class event,'' the CM exhorted.

Expressing hope that all infrastructures will be ready by June or early July, Ms Dikshit exhorted people to render their constructive cooperation in making the Games a memorable and historical event.

Our city, their city

Literally, Delhi doesn’t mean anything. And the same holds true for Zurich. We have the Yamuna flowing through — or rather clogging — the city, while Limmat charts its course through Zurich. But despite a few similarities between the two capital cities, there are things that make you feel “if only we had that”. Yet there are times when one misses saadi Dilli even amidst the spic and span atmosphere of the plush European city. Come Commonwealth Games and Delhi would look its best. Here’s what we can take from Zurich.

Thumbs down
Waterways: Yamuna is the worst example of how a natural lifeline should be treated. A den of illegal activities and chemical dumping, this river could have been the pride of the Capital. Well, people still take a dip in it.

Thumbs up
Waterways: The banks of Limmat are among the most popular strolling zones for the young and old. Spotting two lovers cosying up is a usual sight. Swans on the clean, calm water makes for a beautiful sight as it flows through the ‘old city’.

Thumbs up
Food: Well, if you truly want to savour Delhi, you should opt for the street food. From gobhi parantha in the wee hours at ITO to kakori kebabs in Nizamuddin, we love — and live in — the streets. Though plush restaurants serving global cuisine are found in bulk, the state bhawans impart Delhi its distinct food flavour.

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Food: No Swiss city comes cheap, and its Capital is no exception. But yes, one must admire the quality and quantity they adhere by and you just can go on hogging. Street food throws up limited options as the city’s freezing. But besides great restaurants, Hiltl, the only all-veggy restaurant, serves everything from dal makhni to shahi paneer. Treat for us Indians!

Thumbs up
Airport: With the recent makeover, the IGI airport has come of age. A separate smoking area, internet access, food court — it has that phoren feel to it now. The Metro connection is just the thing we need to up its status further as getting an autorickshaw there can be a pain.

Thumbs up
Airport: The Flugafen — ‘airport’ in German — is one of the best in Europe. Its lounge bar is the longest in Europe and the place throws loads of options
for travellers to shop and unwind over, thus making transits and delays hassle-free. It even has a prayer room!

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Monuments: You are driving on the flyover, through chic offices and malls... and suddenly you come across an old fort wall peeping through the trees — that’s Delhi for you.

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Monuments: Zurich is a beautiful blend of the old and the new. The old charm’s preserved even while plush streets and banks have come up. The churches take you back to the class 6 history lessons.

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Public life: Ours could be India’s best city, if only we love it. Littered roads, abuses filling the air, rash driving, uncivi-lised Metro commuters — and we have just six months before the world comes here.

Thumbs up
Public life: Clean roads, public transport running on time, phone booths — you love life here. Trams are the lifeline as cabs come expensive. If only there were a few public toilets!

Rathore out of CWG contention after Patiala selection trials

Following a string of below-par performances from him and a new selection policy, former Olympic silver medallist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore has crashed out of contention for upcoming tournaments this year, including the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

Rathore was in Patiala to take part in the selections trials for the national team for this year, which was mandatory for all shooters who are not part of the current squad. Rathore, who has been critical of the range here in the past, shot 50 on 50 in the first round on Thursday. He finished with a score of 140 on 150, which was the best score of the day, but still not enough for him to make it. As per the new selection policy, the five-member national squad will be picked based on performances in the national trials and two international events.

“I am out of contention for the Asian championships and the other World Cups where there are quota places to be won because of the flawed NRAI selection policy,” Rathore told The Indian Express on Thursday. “This new policy came into effect on March 13 and today, at the first trials after that, I shot a 140, the maximum by a shooter. By that logic, I should have been in, but I am out because of what I shot at the January trials. Because of that score I was kept out of the team for the Commonwealth Championships in Delhi and now that performance has been added to today’s to get a cumulative score for selection.

“As per this selection policy, I needed to shoot 160 out of the 150 targets today to qualify. I don’t know how that is possible.”

Rathore was also critical of these trials being applicable for the Commonwealth Games team as well. “This also means that I am out of the Commonwealth Games. How can someone’s form in January be good enough for a tournament to be held in October?” Rathore said.

The only way Rathore can still make the squad is if the shooters who are already in the team perform badly in the Asian Clay Shooting Championship that begins on March 27. The current double trap team include Himanshu, Mohammed Asab, Ronjon Sodhi, Ajay Mittal and Vikram Bhatnagar, who have been consistently shooting better scores than Rathore in the recent past.

“You can’t have a selection policy that suits a particular shooter, there must be a level playing field, and the current policy does that,” a shooter participating in the trial today told The Indian Express.

No licence yet for city’s guesthouses

The Commonwealth Games are a little over eight months away but guesthouses meant to accommodate tourists are far from ready. The Capital is already short of 30,000 rooms.

Of the 1,400 guesthouse owners who applied for licences, 80 per cent have not been issued one, as admitted by the civic body on Wednesday in its standing committee meeting.

Guesthouses that came up in the city after February 2007 were not being issued licences. But the government had recently given directions to issue ad-hoc licences to them on yearly basis, keeping in mind the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

Despite this matter being taken up numerous times in the MCD's standing committee, nothing has been done so far.

“The Games are just round the corner and if licences are not issued in time, how will these owners renovate their places and make necessary arrangements? The executive wing needs to speed up the matter as licences are mandatory to run guesthouses,” said Ram Kishan Singhal, chairman of the MCD’s standing committee.

The MCD commissioner has admitted to the delay and assured that the “matter will be looked into”.

“We are going to boycott the Games as none of our demands have been met. We wanted regular licences but the civic agency is bent upon giving ad-hoc ones. This is not fair as once the Games are over, they can cancel the licence,” said Arun Gupta, general secretary of Delhi Hotel Sangh.

The guesthouse owners had also requested the government to release funds to upgrade their guesthouses.

“Not a single rupee has been given to us till date. Without financial help, how will we entertain the guests,” added Gupta.

Is Delhi ready for Commonwealth Games?

The Olympic fever is over, for now. After Beijing, the action moves to London for the 2012 games. But before that, New Delhi is to host the Commonwealth Games in 2010. While Beijing Olympics showcased years of preparations which translated into an impressive visual treat and jaw-dropping examples of cutting-edge infrastructure, the level of the Capital's preparedness on the other hand for an event that is barely two years away is worrying to say the least. With images of Beijing fresh in everybody's mind, Times City decided to do a reality check on the competition and training venues for the 2010 Games in the city which will see as many as 8,000 athletes participating.

Overall responsibility of the Games rests with the Sports Authority of India (SAI). CPWD, the consultant appointed by SAI is workingagainst a December 2009 deadline to renovate Games venues.

Times City began its reality check with Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, venue of the opening and closing ceremonies. It will also host events like athletics, lawn bowling and weightlifting.

Just 20% of the required work has been completed in the main stadium. CPWD has removed the four giant lights that were a city landmark for decades to make way for a roof over the spectators' gallery as per international norms. The benches too are to be replaced by plush chairs to accommodate as many as 66,000 spectators. There will also be special centres for players, VIPs and media.