Beggars to be removed from road

New Delhi has launched a campaign to clear the streets of beggars, as the city prepares to host this year's Commonwealth Games.

Mobile courts in the Indian capital are conducting summary trials of beggars, in an effort to revamp the city's image before October's games.

It is estimated that Delhi is home to about 60,000 adult beggars and according to experts, nearly half of the 100,000 street children in beg for a living.

The courts are now rotating through sections of New Delhi, conducting summary trials on beggars brought before the courts by police raids.

They operate under the the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, which was passed in 1959 in Mumbai and extended to 18 states including Delhi, and makes it a criminal offence to beg.

The courts send habitual beggars to one of the dozen shelters the Delhi government has opened up. Children caught begging are sent to juvenile homes.

The New Delhi government now plans to create a database of beggars and set up biometric systems in the shelters to identify repeat offenders.

M.M Gupta, one of the duty magistrates says the drive by the civic authorities was to reform beggars and not imprison them.

"Rehabilitation centres are there for reforming them," he said.

"We are sending them there. We are not sentencing anybody, any beggars. We are just sending them for rehabilition purposes so they may have some shelther which they are in need of."

But Colin Gonsalvez, a New Dehi lawyer says the courts are attempting to drive beggars away from the city.

"Basically it's a drive to get rid of beggars in the city of Delhi," he said.

"To give an impression to the person coming for the Commonwealth Games that Delhi is a city without beggars. No poverty at all."

Commonwealth Games: 4 member committee to check labour law violations

The Delhi High Court appointed a four-member committee to check the violations of labour laws at Commonwealth Games project sites.

A bench comprising Chief Justice A P Shah and Justice Rajive Sahay Endlaw appointed Labour Commissioner and the Labour Secretary of the Delhi government, Mr A K Singh and R D Srivastava, former Indian Ambassador to the US Arundhati Ghosh and special rapporteur of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Lakshmidhar Mishra as members of the committee.

The High Court had yesterday sought a response from the Centre for its alleged failure to provide all benefits under labour laws to workers engaged in construction work for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

The directions were passed on a petition filed by a Rights group, which alleged that neither the Government nor the private contractors involved in the mega project have taken note of the working conditions of the 4,15,000 labourers working at the construction sites.

The petitioner contended that there was rampant violation of labour laws as the workers were not being paid even the minimum wages.

In many cases, the wages were irregularly paid with considerable delay and with contractor’s often withholding part of the wages, it said.

The rights group alleged that there have been deaths of several workers at the work site which have not been recorded and the safety equipment were often not made available to workers, the Rights group alleged.

The Bench today directed that the four member committee headed by the labour commissioner will convene its first meeting on Monday and after verifying the allegations, report back to the Court on March 17.

Kalmadi thankful to PM & Sports Minister for their cooperation

NEW DELHI: Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi has thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sports Minister M S Gill for their personal involvement and deep commitment in upholding the vision of the OC of producing the best ever games.

"I thank Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Sports Minister Dr M S Gill and Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister of Delhi for their personal involvement and deep commitment and support in upholding the vision of the Organising Committee of holding the best ever Commonwealth Games. Team India is working towards the success of the Commonwealth Games," Kalmadi said in an Organising Committee release.

Outlining the progress made so far, Kalmadi said rapid infrastructure development will showcase the city as a world destination equipped with all top amenities.

"Delhi is getting a sporting legacy on account of the rapid infrastructure development we are seeing in the city. Metro, world class airport will propel Delhi as a modern city with top amenities and will pave the way for further sporting action for the country."

Commonwealth Games will take place here from October 3 to 14.

Speaking at the occasion of the launch of the first ATM for the games by Central Bank of India, Kalmadi added that the partnership would see Central Bank of India retailing the tickets for the Games across its vast network in the country.

NSAs Told to Appoint Managers for Commonwealth Games

Kualalumpur: All national sports associations whose athletes have qualified for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games have been asked to appoint their managers before the end of the month.

The National Sports Council (NSC) director-general, Datuk Zolkples Embong, said that the associations were also required to name only one manager each to facilitate the monitoring of athletes’ performance and welfare.

“They are also asked to name managers who can work and not appoint them based on their turn among the associations’ council members. Selecting managers based on their turn should no longer be practised,” he said yesterday.

Zolkples had earlier briefed representatives of 27 associations on the NSC’s programme for this year as well as the preparations for the New Delhi Commonwealth Games (Oct 3-14) and Guangzhou Asian Games (Nov 13-21).

Zolkples, who is the chef-de-mission of the contingent for the Asian Games, said that associations were also told to rationalise their athletes’ participation in championships abroad and in the country based on their budget capacity and the need to ensure that their athletes were not injured or experiencing fatigue.

On the NSC’s priority for the two Games, Zolkples said that it was up to the coaches to set the targets.

Games training for 10,000 school guides

The Delhi Government will provide 10,000 school guides for the inaugural function of the Commonwealth Games, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit announced on Friday at the inauguration of the wrestling training venue for the Games at Ludlow Castle Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalaya near Kashmere Gate here.

She also informed that the demand for another 50,000 volunteers made by the Indian Olympic Association would be met in a phased manner.

The Chief Minister said all projects related to the sporting event would be completed well in time and funds would not be a problem as an additional Rs.1,300 crore has already been made available under the Plan outlay for the current year.

Ms. Dikshit said the construction of both Thyagraj and Chhatrasal stadiums was also going on at full swing and they are expected to be completed in March, 2010.

Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi while appreciating the pace of construction of the Games-related project, expressed confidence that they would all be completed within the stipulated time. Mr. Kalmadi said by organising the Commonwealth Games successfully, India would get an opportunity to lay its claim on hosting the Olympics.

Public Works Department Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan informed the gathering that construction of the Ludlow Castle training venue has been completed in a record time at a cost of Rs.13 crore.

Pictures of Revamped Major Dhyanchand National Stadium

The stadium was revamped at a cost of Rs 262 crore, is spread over 36 acres and has beeen renovated keeping in mind the Commonwealth Games in October.


The stadium has three synthetic pitches, two conforming to international standards and the third a practice pitch.


New polygrass turf has been laid on all the pitches, which are equipped with new sprinkler systems.

The second pitch outside the main arena has 900 permanent seats and with a provision of 1,600 temporary seats.

Both the pitches are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for the players like change rooms, relaxation lounges and a spacious VVIP lounge

Shooting range for Commonwealth Games inaugurated

New Delhi- Union Sports Minister M.S. Gill on Sunday inaugurated the reconstructed Karni Singh shooting range, loaded with advanced technology and equipment, just months after serious doubts were raised whether it could be ready in time for the Commonwealth championships, scheduled from February 17.

One of the major venues for the Commonwealth Games in October, Gill credited himself, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and the workforce for its speedy completion.

Gill admitted that he had doubts over the range being completed in time. “Nothing is lacking in this range. With its scenic beauty and the historical monuments around, this is the best shooting range in the world,” he said.

The President of the Commonwealth Shooting Federation, Graeme Hudson, said the venue could be rated among the top three ranges in the world. “India is coming up as a shooting power. I am sure after this state-of-the-art stadium, there will be events like World Cup and World championship here,” Hudson said.

The Minister promised that massive plantation and beautification would be done to make the site more attractive. “Plus, there will be a 200-seated hostel. This will be a self-contained facility to help the campers,” he said.

However, indoor and outdoor works are still on in the range and many areas are yet to be given the final touches. It was apparent that some of the decoration and civil works were done in haste for the inauguration.

Some top shooters of past and present — including Olympic silver medallist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Asian Games gold winner Randhir Singh, Asian Games medal winner Mansher Singh, multiple Commonwealth Games gold winner Samaresh Jung — were pleased to see the world-class infrastructure in place.

”We the shooters congratulate the Sports Ministry, SAI and CPWD for having built the range in such a short time,” said Randhir, also the Vice-Chairman of the Organising Committee Commonwealth Games. He said he was invited to the event as a shooter.

Rathore hoped that things would be fully ready by the Commonwealth championships. “Tomorrow onwards we are shooting here. It is like fitting a coat (for oneself). I think the problems will be sorted out before the test event,” he said.

Mansher suggested that the facilities needed to improve for holding an international meet. “With the rocks in place (in trap shooting), the aesthetics were better in the old range. The colour used here does not look great either,” he said.

OCCG Chairman Suresh Kalmadi, in a statement, said that he could not be present on the occasion because of prior commitments in Pune, his Parliamentary constituency. Apparently, only Kalmadi was invited from the OC for the function, a minor departure from what was followed when the Dhyan Chand National Stadium was inaugurated earlier.