MCD seeks joint steps to check diseases during Games

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Saturday said coordination of various civic agencies was needed to keep the Commonwealth Games free from spread of vector and water-borne diseases.

Municipal Commissioner K.S. Mehra said there was a potential for spread of diseases such as dengue, malaria, chikungunya, cholera and typhoid due to large scale construction activities and presence of migrant labour in the city. ‘We have to be extra alert,’ he said.

Mosquitoes mostly breed in post-monsoon phase.

Municipal health officer N.K. Yadav said that in view of the Games scheduled between October 3 and 14, civic agencies should nominate a nodal officer to coordinate with the MCD to prevent such diseases.

Mehra said attention should also be paid on unauthorised colonies where the maximum number of cases are reported. He asked the irrigation and flood control department and Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation to ensure free flow of water in these colonies.

He also said the civic agencies should take anti-larval measures along the bank of Yamuna river, which is a breeding ground of mosquitoes.

There is a need to keep an eye on migrant labour and their health-related activities, the municipal commissioner said, adding Delhi Jal Board should ensure increase in frequency of water supply by tankers in unauthorised areas and proper chlorination of drinking water.

‘These small measures will go a long way in preventing water borne diseases.’

MCD’s director of primary education Prem Lata Kataria said: ‘Over 1,000 nodal teachers have been designated in the civic body’s schools to coordinate efforts for prevention and control of vector and water-borne diseases’.

Around 1,000 people are infected with dengue and malaria every year, on an average basis.

Delhi MC's health alert to civic bodies on CWG

In view of the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, Delhi Municipal Commissioner K S Mehra today alerted all civic agencies as well as different departments of MCD to eliminate mosquito-genic conditions to control and prevent vector and water-borne diseases, particularly along the banks of Yamuna River and in unauthorised colonies.

Addressing the Intersectoral Coordination Meeting of MCD, Delhi Government, Delhi Police, Delhi Jal Board, DDA, DMRC, Northern Railway, DTC, Flood and Irrigation Department and DSIIDC here which was preponed due to the Commonwealth Games, Mr Mehra said, ''The next few months are all the more important because they involve the prestige of the country before international community. There is potential of the spread of such diseases in view of the large-scale construction activities and presence of migrant labour. We have to be extra alert.'' He asked the Flood and Irrigation Department, Delhi Jal Board, Sanitation Department of MCD, DDA, DMRC and Northern Railway to provide support to MCDs Health Department by taking anti-larval measures along the bank of Yamuna River. He stressed the need for keeping Yamuna free of water hyacinth which becomes primary breeding ground of mosquitoes. Mr Mehra stressed the need to focus attention on unauthorised colonies from where maximum number of cases were reported. He asked Irrigation and Flood Control Department and DSIIDC to ensure free flow of water in these colonies.

''It is important that the drains are kept clean and there is regular desilting of drains.'' The Municipal Commissioner stressed that Delhi Jal Board should ensure increase in frequency of water supply by tankers in unauthorised areas and proper chlorination of drinking water as these small measures would go a long way in preventing water-borne diseases. He also directed the Deputy Commissioners of MCD to ensure that kabariwalas were not allowed to accumulate material in open.

''There is need to keep on eye on migrant labour and their health-related activities.'' Municipal Health Officer N K Yadav said lot of construction activities were going around Delhi for the Commonwealth Games and there was need to be alert well in time to prevent diseases like dengue, malaria, chikengunia, gastroenteritis, cholera, jaundice and typhoid. He urged all the civic agencies to nominate a nodal officer from their organisation to coordinate with the MCD.

Delhi to host three-day wrestling championship next week

New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Sports Complex will play host to senior Asian freestyle, Greco Roman style and the female wrestling championships from May 12 to 16.

The event is being seen as a test case for the wrestling competition of the October 2010 Commonwealth Games.

It is one of the major tournaments of FILA in which top wrestlers from 21 countries will compete for top honors with each other.

“This is a major tournament of FILA; it is also opted as a test event for the Commonwealth Games 2010. As you are aware, Asia is a very strong continent in wrestling. In fact, 90 percent of medals in Olympics in wrestling come from Europe and Asia. We have excellent participants from 21 countries,” said G.S Mander, the president of the Wrestling Federation of India.

The 21 countries include all major wrestling nations like Iran, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Japan, Korea, China and Mongolia.

Several of the participants are medal winners of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and 2009 Senior World Wrestling Championship held in Denmark.

The competition will be held daily in the afternoon with preliminary rounds from 2:00 to 5:00 PM and medal rounds to decide Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medal winners from 7:00 to 9:00 PM.

Freestyle wrestling competitions will be held on May 12 and 13, while the female wrestling competition will take place on May 14. The Greco-Roman style competition will be held on May 15 and 16.

Children paint to spread awareness about Commonwealth Games in Delhi

Children took part in a painting competition here on Saturday with a focus on spreading awareness about the October 2010 Commonwealth Games.

The competition was organized by the Bungalow Road Jawahar Nagar Travellers’ Association in the capital’s Kamla Nagar area.

Most of the paintings depicted sporting events of the Commonwealth Games.

“I am feeling very happy that Commonwealth Games are being held in Delhi this year. I feel that by participating in this painting competition, I would contribute in spreading Delhi’s and India’s name all over the world,” said Varun Sachdeva, a youth who participated in the event.”

“Basically, the idea is to spread awareness about the Commonwealth Games amongst the local people as this time, our government is organizing the Commonwealth Games,” said Surinder Sonic, the Chairman of the Association.

The mascot of the Commonwealth Games, Shera, was also present at the event. The 19th Commonwealth Games will be held in New Delhi in October this year.

Courtesy CW Games,Paying Guest(PG)s get costlier

Living in a paying guest (PG) accommodation in the Capital just got costlier by more than Rs 1,000 per month and students blame the Commonwealth Games for it.

Owners, it seems, are eyeing tourists and hostelers, who would have to vacate their rooms during the Games. Hostels of Delhi University (DU) and Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) will be used to accommodate guests during the Games.

“Our landlord has increased the prices, as he is eyeing tourists who will be in the city for the Commonwealth Games,” said a student of St Stephen’s College, requesting anonymity.

“One of our hostels is closing down for renovation ahead of the Games and we have no option but to pay the exorbitant rent,” she added.

The hike ranges from Rs 500 to Rs 1,500 depending on the area (an increase of between 10 and 25 per cent).

“The landlord of the PG where I stay hiked the rent from Rs 5,500 to Rs 6,500 per month for a triple-seater room. He is eyeing the more lucrative option of renting rooms to tourists during the Games,” laments Teena Jha, a working woman.

But PG accommodation owners have a different story to tell. “We have no other choice. Prices are on the rise and we need to keep up,” said Amit Kumar, who is increasing the rent by Rs 1,500 per month (from Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,500) for a twin-sharing room at his Roop Nagar (near North Campus) accommodation.

The hike is highest in areas close to the DU's North Campus, where demand is more due to proximity to colleges. The minimum hike here is Rs 1,000 per month.

“Rates of electricity, food and diesel have gone up. We have generator sets that consume diesel. Load-shedding has made it imperative for us to increase rental rates,” said Mrs Sethi, who did not reveal her full name.

She owns an air-conditioned PG accommodation in Roop Nagar where a twin sharing room, which used to cost Rs 10,000 per person earlier, now costs Rs 11,000 per month.

Come June, when the new college session starts, the rates are expected to increase further.

“We are charging Rs 7,000 per month currently, but prices will go up by Rs 1,500 once the new session begins,” said Sunny, who refused to reveal his full name.

The accommodation is located in South Extension Part-I and food is not included in expenses.

College hostels charge students anything between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000 per annum. Food is included in the expenditure.

In areas like South Extension and Lajpat Nagar, which are popular with college students and single working women, the average rate for a PG accommodation till a few months ago was between Rs 4,500 and Rs 6,000 per month.

The average rent now is between Rs 5,500 and Rs 7,500 per month.

New traffic system will miss CommonWealth Games

It was supposed to help Delhi lessen its perennial problem of traffic congestion but the Intelligent Traffic System (ITS) the Delhi traffic police had promised before the Commonwealth Games this October is nowhere in sight.

The Rs 200-crore project of having the intelligent traffic system in 275 places in the city by May this year is more than one-and-half-years away — the police have not even floated tenders for the same.

“We can’t even start the installation process before the Commonwealth Games. We are opening tenders on May 31. The process will take a few months and I hope we can at least start the installation process after the Games,” said Ajay Chadha, special commissioner of police (traffic), told Hindustan Times.

“We will need at least one and half years after the installation and by December 2011, the ITS should be operational in 275 identified signals.”

Under the proposed ITS map, 275 traffic signals in New Delhi, Mathura Road, Delhi-Gurgaon highway (NH 8), Delhi-Noida highway would be covered and CCTV cameras installed at every point to monitor traffic movement and also identify traffic violators.

In order to tackle problems of congestion, accidents, inefficient logistics amongst other problems, the Delhi police had planned to develop a state-of-the-art traffic and communication network in the NCR by putting in place the ITS.

The system would also incorporate various existing sub-systems like Area traffic Control System, Traffic Monitoring System, Traffic Signals, Variable Message Signs, Speed Camera Systems, among others.

According to a senior police officer, who did not wish to be named, as he isn’t authorised to speak to media, said: “The plan was made at least two years ago keeping in view the Commonwealth Games in 2010. Accordingly, a route map was designed covering 55 major roads, measuring 217.96 km and about 200 intersections to be covered under the system, which could provide better solutions for traffic management.”

P.K. Sarkar, professor, School of Planning and Architecture, Department of Transport Planning, said at least partial installation of the ITS would have helped minimise traffic congestion during the Games.

“I was quite happy about the innovative plan of the Delhi police when I heard about it two years ago. I do not know why the department could not start the process,” he added.

Court gives nod to Delhi low cost housing project

The Delhi High Court Friday gave a green signal to the Delhi government to go ahead with the project under the Rajiv Ratna Awas Yojna housing scheme for slum dwellers in Kanhjawla village near Delhi.

The court had earlier stayed the project after a petition was filed by Joginder Singh, a villager of Kanjhawala, who alleged that the land belonged to the “Gaon Sabha” (village council) and the state government did not have any right over it.

Singh submitted that the panchayat has absolute control over the land and contended that the city government had not held the panchayat election for more than 15 years.

A division bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Ajit Bharihoke, however, turned down the villager’s plea and asked the farmers to make a proper representation before the Delhi lt governot for seeking any other relief.

Terming the entire capital as a metropolitan area, the bench said: “It is not in dispute that elections to the municipal corporation have been held from time to time. The petitioners and similarly situated persons have had an opportunity to elect municipal councillors. The question, thus, arises that having elected municipal councillors, whether the petitioners and other such members of the village are further entitled to have an elected panchayat? In our considered view, the answer to this question is in the negative.”

“The petitioners cannot be said to have a right to participate and vote for two different fora of local self government,” the court said.

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi had inaugurated the project and assured the people that the central government would give Rs.1,500 crore towards making cheap houses available to poorer sections in the capital.

The Delhi government had vowed to resolve the housing crisis before the Commonwealth Games in October and had proposed this scheme to provide houses to the poor people in the city.