Games chaos continues

Cabinet Secretary KM Chandrashekhar, the country's highest executive authority, took stock of the preparations for the Commonwealth Games on Saturday from all the agencies involved in it.

Cabinet Secretary KM Chandrashekhar, the country's highest executive authority, took stock of the preparations for the Commonwealth Games on Saturday from all the agencies involved in it.

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Lt-Gov unruffled by players pull-out

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Tejindra Khanna on Saturday said he was not bothered about several star athletes pulling out of the Commonwealth Games.
“Those who want to come will come. We are only bothered about making arrangements at par with international standards,” he said.

Amid several issues of micro management discussed for close to four hours, what emerged was a complete absence of coordination between the various agencies, sources said.

"Many details of organising had been left in the gray area as no one knew whose job it was," said a senior official, requesting anonymity. "Simple things like who would provide the toiletries and drinking water at the venues had not yet been worked out. There was utter confusion."

Subsequently, the job of providing toiletries and other such consumables at the venues has been given to the owners of the venues — the Central Public Works Department or the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) — instead of the Organising Committee, which was supposed to do it.

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has been given the task of installing drinking water kiosks at the venues. The DJB might bill the venue owners for the job.

"We managed to sort out many issues today. Another similar meeting has been called on August 17," said Ranjan Mukherjee, Officer on Special Duty to Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna, who chaired the meeting at Raj Niwas.

Other matters like special ticket counters inside the venue for spectators who wish to watch multiple events back to back, were also decided. "This is to avoid any scramble for tickets outside the venue," Mukherjee said.

The heads of all the agencies concerned, including Police Commissioner Y.S. Dadwal and Delhi Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta, DDA Vice Chairman Ashok Kumar Nigam made presentations about the preparedness.

"Things like how and when all the construction waste will be disposed have been sorted out. Everything is on track," Mehta said.