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India shouldn't have become CWG host:

The GoI has vetoed Kalmadi's intentions of bidding for 2019 Asian Games.

The government has finally realized of what Kalmadi has been upto!!!

He has been exposed much before 2019. The fake emails he sent to prove the existence of those fake UK firms :angel:
 
Delhi battling human and financial cost of hosting Commonwealth Games

The Indian host city is struggling to complete preparations for the event in the face of rising expenses and criticism of its methods
The signs around the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, named after India's first and longest-serving prime minister, are unequivocal: Work Is In Progress. The stadium is the centrepiece of the preparations for the Commonwealth Games, to be held in India's capital from 3-14 October. It now has its canopy style roof, track, main entrance. And, this being India and this being Delhi, it has its piles of dirt, strewn rubbish, uprooted trees, stacks of bricks.

Opposite, on what was once one of the few open spaces in this overcrowded city of 18 million, workmen are repairing the roof of the weightlifting hall following recent storms.

Nearby, more labourers sweat in the heat and humidity of the early monsoon to finish a Metro station and the elevated road that will allow athletes and officials to travel to the stadium from the £150m Games Village, still unfinished, without getting snarled in Delhi's appalling traffic. Many are women, carrying wicker baskets of cement on their heads.

Across the city the scene is the same: in the central Connaught Circus rickshaws manoeuvre between vast troughs of mud and construction equipment, work is continuing on almost all the major sports facilities, signs have yet to go up, the dedicated traffic lanes yet to be tested, approach roads are a mess of cables and gravel. The state of the art £2bn airport is open but the Metro linking it to the centre of town is not.

Earlier this year, the headlines in local newspapers about the Commonwealth Games – or CWG as they are known in India – were almost universally positive. This was the nation's opportunity to showcase its new power and influence as well as its ability to organise major sporting events. The world would learn that the Old India, that of chaos, poverty and delay, was gone. The New India, of the new middle classes, the 10% annual growth, the global software giants, was here.

"Once a sleepy backyard, the capital's image is being recast," said Outlook magazine. "Ahead of the Commonwealth Games, it's adding world-class facilities and slick services designed to leave the visitors awestruck."

A direct comparison with China was, if not explicit, very obvious. China is the other emerging Asian power and the Beijing Olympics were widely seen as a resounding success. For an editorial in the Asian Age last week "the breathtaking show" in Beijing in 2008 "more than confirmed China's position as a manufacturing megapower and the envy of other leading nations". There was talk of the Commonwealth Games being a springboard for an Indian bid for the 2024 Olympics. There is less such talk now.

The authorities running the Games – and there are many of them – have repeatedly sought to reassure. More recently, a note of anxiety has crept in however. "There is a cause to feel nervous. The biggest challenge is to ensure all Games facilities are completed on schedule. There is no doubt it has been stressful," the chief minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit, admitted.

It is not just the construction. The catering contracts have yet to be fully awarded. Sponsorship has been a struggle. The Queen has decided not to attend the opening ceremony, citing her travel schedule. And the number of A-list sporting stars who will not be coming is lengthening every day. It now includes the sprinters Usain Bolt and Veronica Campbell-Brown, cyclists Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendelton, Australian swimmer Cate Campbell, heptathlete Jessica Ennis and tennis players Andy Murray and Lleyton Hewitt, as well as the French Open finalist Samantha Stosur. "It is no big deal," Suresh Kalmadi, the chairman of the Organising Committee, said recently. "New stars will emerge from the Games."

It is likely that, as with the proverbial Indian wedding, it will all come together on the day. The opening ceremony, with music from the composer of the soundtrack to the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire, will be impressive. City authorities have banned construction for a month, ensuring relatively clean air. The specially designated *** catchers will catch their rats. The cow herding squads will herd their cows, minimising the sacred animals' potential to snarl up even the best-laid plans. The terrorist threats will, probably, fail to materialise. The stadiums will stay up, there will be no stampedes and, despite the tardy award of the catering contracts, any food poisoning will be no more than the usual in a city that is a byword for travellers' gutrot.

The tourists will come – although not in the epic numbers anticipated by the organisers. Medals will be won, records will be broken. The Games, though not perhaps "the best ever" as promised, will be a relative success.

The financial cost however will have been high. No one is exactly sure how much the Games will have cost but estimates run from £2bn to nearly £4bn, a third of the London Olympics, if the infrastructure projects are factored in. They will be the most expensive Commonwealth Games ever. The original budget approved by the Indian government back in April 2007 was £500m. The price tag has provoked much discussion over the country's priorities.

Leaving aside what could have been done with the same amount of cash elsewhere in a country where child mortality rates are the highest in the world and an estimated 700 million do not have access to a toilet, there is the direct human cost. Campaigners claim nearly 100 construction workers have died on Commonwealth Games sites, from accidents or contagious illness contracted in the insalubrious and crowded camps set up as temporary accommodation. Hundreds more, they say, have been injured. A February report by a Delhi high court-appointed committee said workers at Games sites earned inadequate wages and received no health benefits or safety gear.

Although, contrary to reports, there are almost no very young children working on the sites, several thousand 12- to 14-year-olds are employed, in breach of rarely enforced regulations. Most come from some of the most deprived parts of India – states such as Bihar where poverty levels are often worse than in much of sub-Saharan Africa – and are often simply pleased to have a job. "If I wasn't doing this I'd be stitching shoes. At least here I am outside and I am learning a trade," said Sanjit Kumar, 13, an apprentice mason working at Nehru Stadium this year.

Those who have paid the heaviest price for the Games are perhaps the slum dwellers who were either living on land needed for construction for the Games or whose shabby homes mar the image of Delhi as a "world-class city", in the words of Dikshit. Many tens of thousands have been forcibly displaced.

When the athletes look out of their new apartments overlooking the river Yamuna – the organisers hope winds will blow the stink generated by its heavily polluted water away from the complex – they will see acres of vegetable farms. The poor migrants who worked the fields, hawking the produce in Delhi to make a meagre living, were forced out of their village in police operations last month. Some had lived there for nearly 20 years. The school attended by their children, run by a local NGO, was bulldozed.

There have been dozens of similar operations in recent months. Some of the displaced have been resettled on the outskirts of Delhi. Others have simply been left to live on the streets or, often in this city of immigrants, to return to their homes in the villages in the vast poor states that constitute the capital's hinterland. Around 3,000 beggars have been "removed" according to the Hindustan Times.

Those who cannot be shifted are instead hidden. On one of the main roads in from the airport likely to be used by many tourists and dignitaries, a row of hoardings now obscures slums from traffic.

Officials argue that such measures are a necessary part of good municipal planning. There is much talk of the legacy of the Games being a state of the art sporting infrastructure for Delhi's inhabitants.

But for Dunu Roy of the Hazards Centre, an independent thinktank that has analysed the economic cost of the Games, the money has been poorly spent. "These vast stadiums are not going to be used for the next 20 years unless they get another big tournament," Roy said. "For a fraction of the budget you could have provided every primary school in Delhi with a fully equipped playground, colleges could have had playing fields, you could have put sports academies all over the place."

Local opposition politicians are also concerned. "I have seen how stadiums are used in Europe but in Delhi people are not crazy about sport the same way," Subhash Arya, deputy chairman of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, said. "We have been asking for the plans of how they will be used after the Games for school children or newcomers but there is no planning at all for this."

The field opposite the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, now dominated by the new weightlifting complex, once saw a score of crowded, chaotic, overlapping cricket matches every evening. Now local teenagers jostle for space on the tiny patches of green scattered among local residential blocks.

Raj Kumar, 37, was playing cricket with his eight-year-old daughter and three-year-old son in the park across from where the cricket grounds once were. "We live nearby so we come to this park because it is a good exercise for children [to play cricket]. Not many people lift weights in India. Everyone plays cricket," he said. "The government should give another cricket ground for the kids."

Vipul Naweja, a chartered accountant who lives in the outlying town of Gurgaon, home to many of the corporate businesses, call centres and malls that symbolise "New India", disagreed, however. "It's OK they removed the cricket grounds because a big event is happening. They are destroying something, but creating something also," he said. "Some sacrifice is necessary for the sake of the country."

guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/aug/04/commonwealth-games-delhi-preparations
 
The fiasco that is the Commonwealth Games

“India has an amazing ability to muddle up things. The goons in Bihar are running the show when the country is aspiring to be a world leader,” author Charles Allen once said in an interview to Hindustan Times. Like Kipling, whose biography he has written, Allen was born in India, but was forced to leave as a child, yet India holds a deep place in his heart. His criticism is only born out of love for Paradise (as people in those times called India).

The current fiasco with the Commonwealth Games in Delhi brings this statement to mind. This is the chance for India to show off its prowess to the world and yet, it is ‘muddling it up’ on a grand scale.

Remember the opening of the Olympics in Beijing in 2008? It was nothing short of spectacular. The visual spectacle, imbibed with Chinese culture, which set the sky ablaze with music and dance, was spellbinding and the ceremony passed off with perfection. It was, in fact, the mother of all Olympics opening ceremonies. The newly built stadiums were impressive, and the event basically opened the eyes of the world to what China can and will achieve. More people watched the opening ceremony in China than that in Athens. It told the world that China, not America, stands at the centre of the universe.

The Commonwealth Games (CWG), which India is hosting for the first time, also have the potential to be a source of national pride, and to show the world what India is made of.

This is after all a country that invented the zero (read: Brahmagupta); built the Golden Temple in Amritsar and the Taj Mahal Palace in Agra; built various UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the Ajanta and Ellora caves; rather usefully invented ‘good’ sex for goodness sake (read: Karma Sutra); taught the world how to live life (read: the Bhagavad Gita and the Vedas); invented yoga, now a practice revered throughout the western world; this a country, that, apart from founding Hindusim, even founded Buddhism, now revered throughout Asia and the western world. Here we have a country who’s amazingly complex but perfect tiffin and dhobi wallah systems never fail to amaze tourists, foreign filmmakers and journalists alike.

So, when David Cameron held a joint press conference with Manmohan Singh in Delhi and a rather cheeky Indian TV journalist posed the question to Manmohan Singh: “Are you aware of the corruption, incompetence and delays with the construction of the Commonwealth Games stadiums?” and he turned ashen-faced, and replied saying he had met the Cabinet secretary the day before and was satisfied the necessary preparations were in place, and everything would be ready on time, it was a far from convincing answer.

He should have said that he was aware of the fiasco, allegations of corruption and misuse of funds, and was launching an immediate investigation, and those found guilty, would be sacked. Indian TV channels are showing us cables hanging out all over the place outside the CWG stadiums, pits and pot holes on paths outside newly-built stadiums, monsoon leaks, debris piled up everywhere, tiles falling off the edge of swimming pools, waterlogging, seepage and even a roof collapsing. Parts of a shooting range at Gugaon were practially washed away after it rained and the roof of the table tennis hall collapsed days after it was pronounced ready. The fact the stadiums are being built by thin labourers without proper uniforms and hard hats, who are probably poorly paid, is one part of the problem. They probably hardly care if the stadium they build looks good or even stands up, given their working conditions. But the fact the project management has been so appalling is another thing.

Now we are being told that taxpayer’s money has been misused on equipment and items, and that the organising committee has been charged well over the odds for various items such as treadmills and umbrellas, money that could have been paid to the poor labourers building the venues for starters. The corruption watchdog, the Central Vigilance Commission, has pointed out poor quality of construction material and grant of work to ineligible agencies as well as other large-scale procedural violations, including corruption, in several projects. Is this a reflection of wider problems in the construction industry in India, generally? I think so. The entire industry needs to be overhauled and very tightly regulated, as it is not the first time the words ‘corruption’ and ‘construction’ have gone hand in hand.

But for now, with just two months to go, that is not the focus. The immediate focus should be on preventing the CWG in India itself from becoming the organisational disaster of the century, the mother of all CWG disasters, and instead becoming the world-class event, source of celebration and national pride, that it should be. The Indian Government, citizens, the media, and other Commonwealth countries, now need to apply pressure on those in charge of this event

blogs.hindustantimes.com/expat-on-the-edge/2010/08/04/the-fiasco-that-is-the-commonwealth-games/
 
Really nva knw when these b.......s ll ever think bout d country itself..... perhaps its right it shudnt b organised in here.... They wnt feel ashamed f giving country a bad repo... jst pillinup thr pants n unders with hell lot f money.....realy felt disgusting:hitwall:
 
We will soon find out if India is capable of doing a simple thing such as hosting the CWG.

We will be watching India....

First watch at yourself !!!!How jealous you are, I can see your flames in every thread of PDf.. And you know what, I am pretty much sure that Majority of neighbours do not think in the way you does..

India shifted the balance in its favour in the second round of voting with a promise that it would provide US$ 100,000 to each participating country, along with air tickets, boarding, lodging and transport. The successful 2003 Afro-Asian Games held in Hyderabad was also seen as having showed India has the resources, infrastructure and technical know-how to stage a big sporting event. India also thanked Latif Butt, former vice president of the Olympic Council of Asia, for his support in the winning bid, by saying, "You played a vital role in the Commonwealth Games 2010 being allotted to India. Such actions are worthy of emulation by all concerned in Pakistan and India. I have no doubt that if both sides continue to live by such ideals, one day, sooner than later our generations to come will reap the benefits of and be grateful to those making such contributions. You would certainly be such person."
The Indian government stated that it would underwrite the total cost of the Games.
2010 Commonwealth Games - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
India's bid motto was New Frontiers and Friendships.
 
my heart says it will be a good event .india will successfully do this.atlast india is india and their preparations r unique.
 
Well that was just a rhetoric by them i am sure.

But seriously holding it not simple in context of India. Mega event coupled with alot of things to monitor.

If India screws up the CWG then she will be a laughing stock for many years to come.
 
Look whos talking,first host a cricket match at home and then talk.
 
Look whos talking,first host a cricket match at home and then talk.

Here you go :

India lose way in final Sri Lanka Test
India lose way in final Sri Lanka Test - Hindustan Times

Hosts Sri Lanka seized control of the third and final cricket Test on Thursday after they demolished India's batting might on the third day.

India, chasing Sri Lanka's first innings total of 425, slipped from their overnight score of 180-2 to 378-7 by tea at the P. Sara Oval.

The top-ranked Indians, seeking a series-levelling victory following the 10-wicket defeat in the first Test, will resume after the break still 47 runs behind with just three wickets in hand.

Abhimanyu Mithun was unbeaten on 26 and Amit Mishra was on 12 at the break.

Venkatsai Laxman and Suresh Raina hit half-centuries during a fifth-wicket stand of 105 after India were reduced to 199-4 within the first 30 minutes of play.

Unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis dismissed both batsmen in the space of three overs after lunch to put Sri Lanka on top.

Laxman edged a catch to Mahela Jayawardene in the slips after making 56, while Raina played an uppish drive to Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara at mid-wicket.

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who was hit on the fingers by a rising ball from Lasith Malinga, made 15 when he was caught behind trying to hook the same bowler.

Earlier, India suffered quick blows when veteran Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed in the day's first over and century-maker Virender Sehwag in the sixth, both falling to reckless shots.

Tendulkar slashed at Malinga's sixth delivery and edged an easy catch to wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene.

The world's leading run-getter, making a record 169th Test appearance, scored 41 in a third-wicket stand of 91 with Sehwag.

Sehwag, who was on 97 overnight, reached his 21st hundred in the second over by pulling off-spinner Suraj Randiv for his 18th boundary.

But Randiv had the last laugh as Sehwag hit out against a flighted ball and top-edged the skier to Chanaka Welegedara in the covers.

Sehwag's 109 would have given him a hundred in each of his last five Tests, had he not been dismissed for 99 in the previous match at the Sinhalese Sports Club.

The robust opener made 109 in the first Test in Galle, and 165 and 109 in the two home Tests against South Africa in February.

India can't even beat Sri Lanka....
 
If India screws up the CWG then she will be a laughing stock for many years to come.

This word "IF" is assuming nothing on ground yet so do not assume things. This word "WILL" is future which is not known yet as well.

So better keep your emotions for the right time.


The human and resource cost is indeed one negative point so far coupled with woes of security and offcourse this large scale corruption
 
Look whos talking,first host a cricket match at home and then talk. Look whos talking,first host a cricket match at home and then talk.

LOL Jako.....

We wil host this event, remember Shila govt will loose all election if this goes dim:)
 
I don't know why you clowns are being such Drama queens over this.

The Games will play out in way or form. They will come and go before you know.

If India was really in danger of messing up the Games, The International Authority would have moved it to Sidney months ago. They have been watching the development progress for over a year now. The very fact that this has not happened is proof enough that the games will continue as planned. But not as well as previously hoped.

90% of criticism you hear is Media dram to fill their 24/7 air time.

The very Idea that India , should not have gotten the games is rubbish.
Why do something tomorrow if we can do it today. If India ever wants to be a serious player and host games in the future. We need watershed Moments like these games.

we will be Hosting the Cricket world cup soon, you think we don't deserve that as well.
Don't pretend as if we don't host events in this country or as if we can't get things done.

We have our own pace and our own problems.


At the end of the games ,
We would have hosted the games meaning we now have something under our belt.

We will have the sports facilities for years to come.
In India this is very good news , as our athletes are often starved of both funds and facilities.

Delhi will be a much more presentable city for years to come.
Other cites will follow in its footsteps.

Let's face it , the only problem here was not India but it was Delhi.
We should have had the game in a different state , and smaller town nearest to the tourist destinations. Gujarat or Kerala for example. Goa or Karanatak.

Delhi games is only the beginning , Delhi may not host the next games, India will be host many more times to come.

when the games are done , you will find that as with South Africa's world cup, criticism will be very easily forgotten.

What we should really hope for are record setting games , because that is what will be remembered.
 
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