The Commonwealth games, 2010 were supposed to be the occasion for India to showcase its ever growing stature amongst the world's elite economies. These Games were to bear testimony to the belief that India has the capability to host sporting events of mammoth proportions with consummate ease. The task in front of us was clear cut: to be at least equal to, if not better than, Beijing 2008.
Currently, the Games are facing a crisis. There are allegations of massive corruption and favoritism on the organizers. The general public is appalled at the situation, while politicians are using this fiasco to corner the UPA. Amidst all this the nation's pride suffers.
What really went wrong with the Commonwealth Games 2010? Is it just poor planning and rampant corruption, or is it a mirror of the Indian Laissez Faire attitude towards things? Answer in less than 350 words, before 22nd August, 23:59:59, and give your voice a platform at iOpine.
There is so much pessimism surrounding Commonwealth Games organization in India, it seems not that the second fastest growing economy is organizing the event. It does reflect the problem of India when it comes to infrastructural related projects and CWG is a befitting example of it. We all know that our Infrastructure pace of working is more laggard than even some African countries. CWG organization is a high time that India shows that it is ready to break that earlier image of Infrastructural lagging country. Off late China used Olympics, South Africa FIFA WC and so does in past various nations have used these Games organization as a stage to reflect that they are not left behind, they have the political will, infra-capacity and the capital to raise a platform for global events.
ReplyDeleteI agree that nepotism and red-tapism has creped to an insurmountable heights but one must not take this as an excuse and try to make a pre-judgment . Budget Constraints were never looked off, all manipulations which can be done were done, all favoritism were done but it’s done and when now Prime Minister has roped himself in the game, putting his own name at the stake one must think that some positive will off-course come out. Media is exposing each and every day some or the other story, I agree that it’s welcoming but it digresses us all from our current mission of successful organization. All energies must be channelized now to make event successful, and all the relevant scrutiny can be done after games. P.M. himself giving a word to Indian citizens that culprits will be made to pay for their wrong deeds. Now is the time to work towards attaining goal and not sit back with excuses and raise your hands and give up.
All the stadiums have been put under Joint-secretaries who will report to P.M. on developments, CWG chief yesterday insisted that all is not that bad and things can be amended in given time. So, all is not that gloomy, hard work awaits us and may be success also. Amen.
London is ready to host mini Olympics-style games right now, two years away from the Olympics. Delhi, with less than two months to go for the opening of the Commonwealth Games, is in a mess, literally and figuratively. To the formidable technical and logistical challenges of getting the facilities ready in time has been added the task of cleaning up the financial act, with scams and scandals tumbling out every other day. As if the unedifying sight of the leaking stadia roofs was not enough, the charges of corruption and ‘doctored' e-mails against the Organizing Committee (OC) officials have started flying thick and fast. The public authorities have not been spared either for some shoddy work in building stadia and beautifying the city. The so-called ‘world-class' facilities are still incomplete and have been found to be sub-standard or lacking in several respects. At least one of them, the swimming pool, has come in for adverse comments from the international federation's delegate. Low quality material and poor workmanship stick out at many a venue.
ReplyDeleteExtravagance had been the striking feature of Delhi's bid to host the Games. At the 2003 bid in Kingston, from offering free air passage, accommodation, and local transport to every member of a delegation to promising $100,000 to each participating country for training their athletes, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) was set on a splurging spree. The overall costs shot up from an original estimate of Rs.655 crore to the present Rs.11,490 crore, with the Delhi government expected to spend another Rs.17,000 crore. The promise of the OC to reimburse the government the organizational expenditure that could cross Rs.2,400 crore sounds rather hollow. The projected revenue is nowhere in sight, though IOA President and Chairman of the Organizing Committee Suresh Kalmadi is sticking to his optimistic calculations. Even allowing for some cutting of procedural corners in the hurry to complete the facilities, the outlandish figures being quoted as hiring charges for air conditioners, treadmills, and chairs can only heighten the revulsion among the tax-paying public. Attempts at damage control through the new enquiry committee notwithstanding, with every passing day Mr. Kalmadi's position is becoming more and more untenable. With the deadlines long past, the government needs to show a greater resoluteness in the task of completing the facilities in the very short time left, and in starting inquiries to bring to book the perpetrators of the multiple scams, evidence of which is pouring out. The present Organizing Committee has shown itself to be unequal to both these tasks.
The world's Second fastest growing economy had a perfect opportunity to showcase the world of its untapped potential with the opportunity provided by the Commonwealth Association to organize the CWG. But the build of CWG for which the nation was anxiously waiting has became a national shame with all the controversies.
ReplyDeleteThe Person who is centre to all this controversy is the MP from Pune,Mr.Suresh Kalmadi,Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee & President of the Indian Olympic Association.The Games have became more of a showmanship for Kalmadi who takes everything in his hand and monopolises all decision making.Kalmadi as a person with no sporting credentials makes no international Impression. Presently the various organizations have been held by former Olympians like Jacques Rogge,current President of IOC & Colin Moynihan ,Chairman of BOC(British Olympic Association).
The Share of Controversies has been an endless list with 1) medical equipment being purchased at 6-7 times the market price 2) Substandard Construction of the stadiums where leakages from the roofs have already started 3)Involvement of Australian firm Sports Management & Marketing & AM Films-UK firm have been under the scanner 4)Human Rights Violation in the name of the games according to which fraudsters,thieves & corrupt Politicians can stay in Delhi but not beggars. So with these Controversies, Suresh Kalmadi has made a mockery of the the goodwill the nation had managed to build in the past 2 decades.
On a Personal Front i feel the nation should have used all the capital to develop the sports Infrastructure in the country at the grassroots level which is currently in shambles.With so much Hidden and untapped talent in the rural segments,the money if it had been constructively used would have definitely guaranteed a few more gold medals in the Olympics.
Vaishakh
SHIVAM RAWAT
ReplyDeleteHosting a sports event is always a matter of pride for any nation. This is the time when a country shows its culture, development and power to the world by way of organizing and managing it. World admires China after Bejing Olympic 2008. China shows its dominance and development by organizing Beijing Olympic game in a wonderful manner and now its our chance as we are organizing CWG 2010. Why an example of China because WE always says that we are not less than China.
We are the host of CWG 2010 and have a chance to show the world that we are in a transformation from a developing country to developed country. Forty two days are left to start the CWG and we are still not in position to complete the basic infrastructure for the event.
Daily when we pick up a newspaper, a new headline come across regarding CWG and all shows the darkest part of our nation. It may be a leaking of World Class swimming pools on the day of inauguration or controversial deal with Australian based Sports Marketing & Management or mismanagement of CWG chairman Suresh Kalmadi or by over budgeting of the game . The greatest of all is over corruption headed by politicians. The State Government is looking at the international sporting event as a chance to increase their infrastructure at the same time. It results to pass several which have no direct relation to the games but to eat the budget allocated for it. For example, the Burari Redevelopment Project worth 10 crore or a slum rehabilitation project that has started in Patel Nagar, New Delhi. In 2006 the budget estimation was Rs.22,000 crore which includes centre approval of Rs.767 crore and now it increased to Rs 35,000 includes centre approval of Rs 1620 crore and this figure will also rise by the end of CWG. The issue is not the big budget for the game but where it going is the main issue.
Who is responsible for the mismanagement and shame? One side United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi told that those found guilty would be punished after the events conclude (We all know working of our Judiciary system) and other side former sports minister Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar told that he will be unhappy if CWG will be successful because it is the wastage of fund and also increase in mischievous activity like prostitution (What a attitude by our leaders) Also thanks to our fourth estate which already make mockery of our nation in world for few TRP before beginning of the game by the hype it create with the news related to corruption involves in CWG. This CWG probably seems to be a shame for our nation by the way its preparation going and by the way we managing.
Half the disaster already done by mismanagement before start up, but still things is not over. Our leaders may save country pride and prestige by making a good end of the CWG 2010 ultimately ALL IS WELL IF END IS WELL, hope we will.
COMMON WEALTH GAMES are becoming more of a national embarrassment than pride.A cartoon was published in a newspaper, showing an MP saying –“if you cannot increase our salary,put us in Olympics organizing committee”.It showcase the picture of synonymy with scams.This case is also related to event management disaster .The sporting infrastructure is falling apart even before use and mosquitoes have made the games village their home even before athletes have arrived.400 people have already been detected with dengue.
ReplyDeleteThe man in centre of all these happenings is Mr. suresh kalmadi,chairman of CWG.He wishes the only leaks he was dealing with were leaking stadium roofs,but things have worsened as media unearths more instances of brazen corruption.Kudos to Navika kumar,a veteran journalist of times now for publishing the first article exposing the scams of CWG. The total cost of CWG has gone over RS. 30000 Cr.
A report by CVC stated irregularities -1)awards of work at higher prices,2)poor quality assurance,3)awards of work to ineligible agencies.
To be fair,the mess goes beyond Mr. kalmadi. M.S.Gill,Jaipal Reddy and Sheila Dixit are equally responsible . Struggling to cope with the mess it has created ,Govt. has already ruled out a bid for 2019 asian games.
If we were not ready to accept the challenge,the money should have been used in building sports infrastructure and training our players in which we are lagging.
As D-Day nears,all attentions should be on ensuring that games are success and the post-mortem can be done later .
There are promises made and promises broken by the existing committee of the games. If this goes on surely the games will spell a disaster for the country and the promises made by the committee to make these games bigger than CHINA’s summer Olympic Games will tumble like house made of cards.
Whether the game is a SUCCESS or a FAILURE time will only tell but as of now looking at the current condition it seems that the worst fears may come true.
The 2010 Commonwealth Games are the nineteenth Commonwealth Games. These Games are scheduled to be held in Delhi, India between 3rd October and 14th October 2010. However, it appears from several reports that this "emerging BRIC Nation is by no means ready or prepared to handle these Games”. Getting a game was a major event for Delhi; something that was hard fought for, as it may add to the prestige of the country and bring in tourism boost to its economy.
ReplyDeleteIndia headed to reap in the benefits of free trade and cheap labor but landed at the bottom due to some scathe factors like corruption, fraud, nepotism, poor infrastructure and lack of facilities etc. Now let’s peep into the budget, a dubious proportion i.e. they will be the most expensive Commonwealth Games in the history beating the cost of the Melbourne games by 50% at $1.6 billion, this figure excludes all non-sporting infrastructure projects like broadening of roads, building of flyovers and extension of metro etc. Surprisingly Chief Minister of Delhi Sheila Dikshit has inaugurated all the venues, though unfinished work like cabling, landscaping and removal of debris remains. Recent incidents of water logging, seepage and even collapse of roof have raised a question that whether the deadline can be met. The major question is that why groups like DLF, GMR and JAYPEE were not engaged? Why there was no Quality control?
The corruption watchdogs have pointed out poor quality of construction material and grant of work to ineligible agencies in several projects. The furnishing of apartments, beautification and construction of the approach road are also incomplete at the much talked about Games village situated on the banks of river Yamuna. The recent report of the autonomous Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has cast a big shadow. As per the CVC’s Chief Technical Examination Wing, large-scale procedural violations, including corruption, have been noticed in 16 projects. Nepotism has also been noticed in the games. Last week it was reported that" organizing committee treasurer Anil Khanna has quit following allegations that his son’s firm was awarded a contract to lay synthetic surfaces at a tennis stadium for the games. Khanna denied the allegations, saying he had not started working with the organizing committee when the contract was awarded." There are promises made and promises broken by the existing committee of the games. India’s reputation is at stake at the COMMON WEALTH GAMES. Who knows what will happen when the game will actually start. We get up in the morning; switch on TV to watch news and the most common news is the corruption in COMMON WEALTH GAMES. All we listen and see whole day long is “some new controversy created related to the games”. If this goes on, the games will surely spell a disaster for the country and the promises made by the committee to make these games bigger than CHINA’s summer Olympic Games will tumble like house made of cards.
Whether the games will turn out to be a SUCCESS or a FAILURE only time will tell but as of now, looking at the current conditions, it seems that the worst fears might come true.
The commonwealth games(CWG) in New Delhi has been called pride and lenses for world to show its capabilities on organising this prosperous event for being the most consistent nation in almost all fronts after china. A report from central vigilance commission (CVC) which points on corruption at each and every level of games, starting from paying more than enough to contractors on building infrastructure to hiring another ten official in organising committee at this stage(PM has approved on hiring this official just two days back).
ReplyDeleteThis is not the time to blame anybody personally on his action but need to see the impact in the future on how do we build the strong system for enabling not happen this kind of misshape in future. This is time for retrospection on recollecting the events that has shown negative image of India which has overshadowed our positive images. India still takes more than enough time to allow any firm to establish (according to Doing business report), India ranks poor in Human development Index and Corruption Index than our neighbouring developing countries which are not having human capitals(think tanks), technical expertise and many other things like what we are having.
We have improved many of our loose ends like making our self more liberalised which we called as “revolution” initiated by our honourable prime minister and subsequently we have seen the rapid growth in last twenty years. Other examples like SEBI establishment and end of licence raj and Monopolistic Restriction Trade Policy (MRTP), this actions has proved India to be on taking right action at an appropriate time. As per the current heat from global and local media, this is time to take meaningful action.
I would strongly suggest honourable prime minister on referring the scam tainted CWG case on organising a committee on vision of making any cultural and sports event more prosperous and less corruption or any obstacles and purposely meant for betterment. Such committee should be structure on the front of not leaving any loop holes for enabling any individual to make their own way to gain from this. This kind of committee will shut critics’ harsh comment on corruption always wins at such global event or any other political event. Lets sprinkle positive vibes at the time of turbulence to overshadow negative force.