Disabled sports neglected in CWG: disability activist

New Delhi, Aug 9 (UNI) On the one hand the city is struggling to make Commonwealth Games, one of the biggest sporting events, a success, on the other the country's disabled sports persons are finding it hard to retain their place in it.

Only 54 days are left for the Commonwealth Games and the Ministry of Sports continues to neglect disability sports even when they form an integral part of the upcoming Games, disability activist Javed Abidi said today.

''When the Games take place in October, as many as 45 medals will be at stake under disability sports. Medals won or lost will impact the nation's medal tally! The Sport Minister can afford to neglect it, but the nation cannot!'' he warned.

Under the banner of Disabled Rights Group (DRG), disabled sports persons will stage a protest outside Sports Minister M S Gill's residence here tomorrow to highlight the ''corruption'' in the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI).

''We have written enough letters to Mr Gill but he is least bothered. Disability sports is not on his radar screen,'' Mr Abidi regretted.

He alleged that Mr Gill has left it to his 'babus'. ''They are all hand in glove with the PCI, the extremely corrupt sports federation,'' he charged.

Mr Abidi also lambasted the Games Organising Committee for not picking any disabled athlete in its list of six brand ambassadors for the event. Referring to the money earmarked for the disability sports, he asked ''Where has the amount of Rs 13 crore gone?''

''Further, why is proper coaching not being provided to our elite disabled athletes like Prashant Karmakar in swimming and Farman Basha in power lifting, who are our only two medal hopes in the Games? Similar is the neglect towards our table tennis players and athletes,'' he said.

Talking about other concerns, he mentioned the instance of Prashant Karmakar not being considered for an Arjuna Award and similarly the Dronacharya Award eluding Ramesh Tikaram, coach for badminton and athletics.

Four new branches of IIMC to come up next year

New Delhi, Aug 6 (UNI) Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), one of the renowned media institutes in the country, is all set to spread its wings across India with four new branches commencing next year.

Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni today announced this at the 43rd convocation of the institute.

''The four new chapters of IIMC will be established in Jammu and Kashmir, Kerela, Maharashtra and Mizoram for the session 2011-12,'' Ms Soni said.

Referring to the growth of the media industry in India, the Minister said, ''It is expected that in the year 2014 the compounded growth rate in this industry will be approximately around 13 per cent.''

She expressed hope that the growth will be in all the sectors of the industry -- broadcasting, print media, radio and animation. With a special mention to the animation industry, Ms Soni reckoned that in the years to come, India would be the hub in animation.

''We hope that with an investment of Rs 52 crore through public-private partnership (PPP), India will be an animation hub including gaming and visual effects,'' she said.

Remove Sheila, Gill & Kalmadi before CWG: BJP

New Delhi, Aug 3 (UNI) The BJP today demanded removal of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Union Minister MS Gill and Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Chief Suresh Kalmadi from their posts and formation of a new team for proper conduction
of the Games.

''The Chief Minister, Sports Minister and CWG Organising Committee's Chairman should be removed for their total failure in preparing for the Games,'' Delhi BJP Chief Vijender Gupta said at a press conference here.

After the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) report had exposed the high-level corruption in the run up to the Games, the government should take affective and concrete step to address the complaints, he said.

''Even after the CVC assessment report, the Prime Minister has said everything related to the Games is going well. This shows how casual they are towards 'national pride','' Mr Gupta said.

To a query that at a time when only 60 days are left for the mega sporting event the BJP's demand of the removal of the three would cause further delay, he told UNI, ''They are corrupt officials. If the genuine ones will come, the work will surely be done in a better way.''

The BJP today issued a 'white paper' on the corruption and delay of projects in the Games.

Naidu criticises PM for his silence on corruption in CWG

New Delhi, Aug 3 (UNI) BJP senior leader Venkaiah Naidu today came down heavily on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for keeping mum after the Central Vigilance Commission report had exposed corruption in the Commonwealth Games.

''Why are the Prime Minister, the Central and Delhi governments are silent on the CVC report, which has highlighted large-scale corruption in the Games,'' Mr Naidu said at a press conference here.

He added that they should have been alert in addressing to these complaints and not think the people were innocent. ''The Prime Minister will have to reply on four-point
allegations-- delay in the projects, use of sub-standard material, high-level corruption and misuse of authority,'' he said.

''What was the need of 87 foreign visits by the government officials even to those countries which have no link to the Games?'' the BJP's Delhi In-Charge asked.

Criticising Union Sports Minister MS Gill for not taking the Games seriously, Mr Naidu said all the responsible officials have only focused on ''creating wealth instead of commonwealth''.

''The main idea behind the name 'Commonwealth' was to create wealth in common and for all. However, unfortunately the concerned officials have been engaged in creating individual wealth leading to misuse of the event and harm the cause of the sports and the pride of the country,'' he alleged.

Reacting to the reports of leaking roof of weight lifting auditorium inaugurated on August 1 by Union Minister for Urban Development Jaipal Reddy, Mr Naidu quipped, ''When the water must have fallen on his head, the Minister then would have known the
reality.''

The senior BJP leader claimed that the BJP was the strongest supporter of sports in India and was never against the Commonwealth Games. ''Unfortunately despite reminding the government from time to time about the delay in works related to the Games it did not take it seriously and now the nation's pride is at stake,'' he said.

CWG broadcasting: BJP claims preparations by DD not started yet

New Delhi, Aug 3 (UNI) Broadcast Engineers Consultants India Ltd (BECIL), a Union Government's enterprise that integrates the expertise of All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan (DD) and is responsible for telecasting the Commonwealth Games internationally, has not yet even started the preparations, the BJP alleged today.

''The agency, which is responsible for works like construction of camera platform, commentary box, air-conditioned studio, among others, was provided with Rs 20 crore for the preparations. They had to finish the work by June 15. But, the work has not been started till yesterday,'' the party alleged in a 'white paper', it issued today on corruption and delays in Commonwealth-related works.

The Doordarshan officials were escaping media on this issue, it said. ''The officials have no idea when the BECIL would provide all these services,'' it added.

The party noted that this issue was very sensitive as the equipment needed for proper broadcasting require regular test and servicing much before the event whereas even the work has not started yet.

On August 1, a top DD official had claimed that since they had got the venues very late, things had spilled over to August as their work can start only after the completion of the venue.

The official had stated that they had started the work and everything has been mapped on the spot. ''Camera positions are identified and cabling is almost 30-35 per cent over. Some construction work is needed to be done according to our requirement but by August end everything will be ready,'' the official had said.

BJP to hit UPA on Bhopal tragedy in Parliament

New Delhi, Aug 2 (UNI) The BJP is all set to demand a discussion in Parliament on the 1984 Bhopal gas leak tragedy verdict and the safe passage to Union Carbide's former chief Warren Anderson even as the CBI today filed a curative petition in the Supreme Court which had diluted charges in the case.

BJP would demand more compensation for victims of the tragedy and extradition of Anderson to India, leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj today told reporters.
''Decision to provide meagre compensation of Rs 50,000 to the victims and that too in instalments should be invalidated and a new higher compensation should be fixed,'' the BJP leader said.

She demanded that ''absconding'' Anderson be brought back to face trial in India and punished as per the Indian laws.

The CBI today filed the curative petition in apex court under Article 142 of the Constitution seeking complete justice in the case. The petition challanges the Supreme Court's September 23, 1996 judgement which had diluted the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against Anderson and top brass of the Union Carbide to death by negligance. The homicide charge carries a sentence of up to 10 years as against the death-by-negligance charge which entails a maximan sentence of two years.

Speaking after inaugurating a photo exhibition on Bhopal gas tragedy organised by the BJP here, Ms Swaraj called for justice for victims of the tragedy which is estimated to have claimed 15,000 lives since the deadly methyl iso-cynate(MIC) leaked from the Union Carbide's plant in Bhopal in December 1984.

The photographs showcased the sufferings of those hit by the tragedy, especially women and children. ''Everyone wander in crowd clueless but where are the perpetrators who forced us here?'', said a caption to one such photograph.

Sheila will have to go to jail after CWG: BJP

New Delhi, Jul 31 (UNI) Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit will have to go to jail if charges of corruption and irregularities in the works for the coming Commonwealth Games detected by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) were proved, BJP said today.

''Following the CVC assessment report, chances are that the Chief Minister will have to go to jail after the Games are over,'' BJP state president Vijender Gupta told reporters here.

Charging Ms Dikshit with ''emotionally blackmailing'' Delhi citizens in the name of upholding national pride in the Games, he came down heavily on her for her comments ''Do you want me to go to jail?'' when she was asked yesterday whether she was ready to take responsibility for adverse assessment made by the CVC.

Condemning Ms Dikshit for her alleged ''irresponsible attitude'', Mr Gupta said she would have to reply all the charges against her and her government made in the CVC report. ''It is a clear case of established crime and corruption in organising the Commonwealth Games.''

Referring to the alleged money laundering by the Games Organising Committee which transferred over Rs 2 crore to a London-based firm A M Films, he said there were
many more such issues which have not been exposed till now.

Sheila says unaware of CVC report about CWG irregularities

New Delhi, Jul 30 (UNI) Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today denied knowledge of any Central Vigilance Commission's (CVC) assessment report exposing allegedly corrupt officials in the street lights upgradation for the Commonwealth Games even when a CBI probe into the case has been sought by the Commission.

''I am completely unaware of any CVC report. When it will reach us, it will be taken care of,'' Ms Dikshit told mediapersons today, a few hours after the Commission requested the CBI to register corruption cases against the MCD officials allegedly
involved in the 'shady deals'.

The assessment report of the CVC, prepared after several complaints of corruption poured in, specifies 16 projects amounting to nearly Rs 2,000 crore, where procedural violations, corruption and clear signs of 'official' collusion for benefit have been found. Of these, six projects were of the Public Works Department (PWD), three of the MCD, two each of Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Delhi Development Authority (DDA), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and one of RITES.

In the street lighting case alone, the contractor, who won the bid on the basis of 'lowest price quote' was later allowed to raise the contract amount in order to milch profits for himself and officials involved, thereby fleecing the exchequer of tens of crores of rupees, as per CVC findings.

CM unsure of meeting Aug 31 deadline for CWG-related work

New Delhi, Jul 30 (UNI) With just two months left for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, the Chief Minister is still not sure about the completion of work on time.

Referring to the deadline of August 31 for the completion of the Games related projects, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today said it could be shifted further by around a week.

''There are chances of overlapping of work by seven to eight days after August 31 and so the time needed by the agencies will be given,'' she told mediapersons.

In addition, she said the work on Shivaji Stadium, which will be used as a training venue for hockey, is also unlikely to be completed till the Games start. ''Since it is a practice stadium, so it is not going to harm the Games,'' Ms Dikshit said.

The stadium was supposed to have been ready by June 30, according to New Delhi Municipal Council's (NDMC) own deadline.

However, the Chief Minister claimed that all the works were going on time and will hopefully be completed before September. ''All the finishing touches and small left overs will be done in September,'' she said.

To a query regarding inconvenience being caused to the locals due to the Games-related work and the unclean look the national capital is bearing, Ms Dikshit said in such situation when so many mega projects were being carried out simultaneously, it was quite natural that during the execution the city was giving an unkempt look. ''It is just a matter of few days...We have been taking weekly monitoring of all agencies involved in construction and also ensuring their coordination,'' she said.

The Chief Minister said that 16000 tonnes of major debris has already been cleared by the agencies till now. ''All the rest, consisting of major quantity, will surely be
cleared by August 10. Whatever small ones which will be left, we will see what could be done for it,'' she said.

She added that the work of street-scaping having a large component of horticultural development along the roads was planned in a manner so as to make the plantation component coincide with the monsoon.

BJP demands Rajkumar Chauhan's immediate dismissal

New Delhi, Jul 29 (UNI) The Delhi BJP today demanded immediate dismissal of Cabinet Minister Rajkumar Chauhan after the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes admitted that the minister protected tax evaders and asked for a CBI enquiry against him.

Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Jalaj Srivastava admitted before the Lokayukta that during the raid on Tivoli resort, PWD minister Chauhan had directed him through his
private phone that the raid should be stopped immediately.

In response, the Lokayukta has ordered the minister to appear before him on August 16.

In a confidential letter written to Finance Minister Ashok Walia, Mr Srivastava said Chauhan was protecting the tax evaders and the officials performing their duties honestly were being threatened of being punished.

Delhi BJP President Vijender Gupta today warned the Delhi Government of starting a movement to compel the ''corrupt Government of Delhi to punish its corrupt
ministers and officers''.

He further said the people of Delhi were suffering due to the steep price spiral and unnecessary taxes whereas the Chief Minister and her Government were being beneficial for the rich and the tax evaders due to its corrupt practices and increasing the burden of price rise on the people.

He demanded that the Chief Minister dismiss the minister immediately and recommend a CBI enquiry against him.