Can't finish flats before Games: Engineers

Published>Tue, Aug 03 10 05:38 PM

With only 61 days left for the Commonwealth Games to kick off, the Delhi Development Authority's (DDA) engineers have decided that "there is no way" they can finish work on the 2,000 flats in Vasant Kunj.

The flats were to be furnished by the Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) and converted into three-star accommodation for tourists, Games delegates and volunteers. ITDC was get the flats by March 2010.

It is now August, and the All DDA Engineers' Association (ADEA) has said they cannot finish the work in time. In a letter reportedly sent to the Union Minister of Urban Development, the Delhi Lieutenant-Governor and DDA vice-chairman, the ADEA has written, "DDA engineers working on Vasant Kunj Commonwealth Games flats held a meeting on July 29 and decided not to bow before the administrative pressure to finish the work within a month. By doing so, all engineering specification and code shall be ignored. It will take at least four to six months to complete the flats." The AEDA is an elected union comprising 2,100 engineers who work for the authority.

AEDA general secretary Param Yadav told Newsline, "A hundred engineers are working on the project now, and the consensus is that we cannot possibly finish the work by next month."

Asked why the engineers were raising this issue now, so close to the Games, he said, "We tried to raise the issue earlier. Our Chief Engineer P K Nanda brought it up with the authority, and he was shifted out from the project. The same thing happened to our engineering member A K Bajaj." While Bajaj confirmed that he was shifted from the project, he said his tenure was anyway ending on August 31.

Despite repeated attempts, the DDA refused to make an official statement on the issue. However, senior officials said they were confident the project would be completed on time. "It is a prestigious project, and we are entirely committed to its completion. At this stage, work will continue as planned," an official involved with the project said.

Asked whether the engineers would strive to complete work if the government provided some incentive, Yadav told Newsline: "Even if we are paid 10 months' salary, we will be unable to complete the work."

Source: Web Search

ICC rejects ECB''s complaint against DRS

Tue, Aug 03 10 05:08 PM

Dubai, Aug 3 (PTI) The ICC today rejected the England and Wales Cricket Board''s complaint on the controversial usage of the Decision Review System in a January Test against South Africa, insisting that there was no evidence to suggest any flouting of rules. England complained after television umpire Daryl Harper did not overturn a not out decision against South Africa skipper Graeme Smith. Smith had appeared to edge a ball to the wicketkeeper but was not given out by the umpire - a decision which was upheld after a referral. England claimed that Harper had not turned up the volume on his replay monitor, so he missed what they claimed was an audible nick. But ICC dismissed English complaints after an enquiry by its Code of Conduct Commissioner Advocate Brent Lockie and Clive Lloyd (Chairman, ICC Cricket Committee). "The independent enquiry was convened by the ICC Chief Executive following a formal complaint by the ECB that relevant DRS procedures and protocols were not followed by the third umpire during the fourth Test match in Johannesburg. The findings of the Lockie/Lloyd enquiry found no evidence to support the complaint," the ICC said in a statement. The enquiry was conduced to determine whether "correct procedures and protocols" were followed by Harper in the decisions involving, apart from Smith, Alistair Cook and Graeme Swann/AB de Villiers. The enquiry was also asked to make recommendations for improvement of the DRS, if appropriate, including the right of reinstatement of a review where technology fails. Elaborating on the most contentious of all -- Harper''s decision to rule Smith not out -- the ICC said, "No ''nick'' or edge sound came through to Mr Harper on any of the replays shown to him and there was no deflection or change of seam position on the ball as it passed the bat." "Any suggestion that Mr Harper had somehow failed to ''turn up the sound'' in order to hear the edge is both manifestly wrong and entirely unfair. The volume control had been set by technicians, and they did not operate or adjust the volume control during the entire series. "However, differing sounds were heard on the footage of the various broadcasters, namely SABC, Supersport and Sky. The enquiry concluded that it was most likely that the actual sound feed coming through to the third umpire''s room was lost at the crucial time," the statement added.

Source: Published>

Ashish Patel banned till 2017 by Registrar of Companies

Tue, Aug 03 10 05:04 PM

London, Aug 3 (PTI) Ashish Patel, whose company is involved in controversial dealing with the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, is already under a ban order by the Registrar of Companies here. As per information given by the UK Registrar of Companies, he has been disqualified as a Director from March 17, 2010 to March 16, 2017. The RoC has cited Section 7 of the Company Directors Disqualification Act, 1986 for barring Patel. The section particularly deals with disqualification procedures and reasons for a director of an insolvent firm. Patel is in the news after his firms -- AM Cars and Vans and AM Films -- were allegedly paid 2.45 lakh pounds for its "services" during the baton relay last year but Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairperson Suresh Kalmadi in India has denied any wrong doings. The dealings have come under the scanner here with the revenue enforcement agencies investigating for any foul play. Back in India, the Enforcement Directorate, which deals with foreign exchange violation and money laundering, is also investigating the case. The controversy comes just days before the beginning of the mega sporting extravaganza scheduled to begin from October 3 in New Delhi.

Source: Published>

Sports Ministry asks Kalmadi to sack two OC aides

Published>Tue, Aug 03 10 02:47 PM

Under-fire Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi's cup of woes is brimming over with the Sports Ministry now putting him under pressure by asking him to sack two of his close aides in the Organising Committee.

In a letter to Kalmadi, Sports Secretary Sindhushree Khullar has asked for the removal of T S Darbari (OC joint Director General) and Dr Sanjay Mohindroo (OC Deputy Director General) after their names figured in the investigations into "alleged irregularities" into services provided during the Queen's Baton Relay in London.

"With the Games just two months away, matters such as the UK payments and alleged customs inquiry against Darbari raise questions of probity and integrity of officers in the OC," Khullar wrote in the letter written on August 1.

"They tarnish the image of the Games and adversely affect its credibility... I would strongly advise you that the above two officers should be immediately relieved of all their duties in the OC and the government informed accordingly," she said.

In fact, the Ministry had first written such a letter to OC in February itself when Darbari's alleged customs violations were first reported in the newspapers.

The Ministry sought Darbari's removal from the OC's revenue and marketing units but Kalmadi, at that time, shot back saying that nothing had been proved against him.

The latest scandal is about alleged irregular payments to a little-known UK firm for its "services" during the Queen's Baton Relay and Darbari's name has cropped up here as well.

"This matter has been referred to the Government by the HM Revenue and Customs Department of the UK, through the Indian High Commission in London," the Ministry wrote.

Kalmadi has been in the line of fire for a few weeks after numerous media reports highlighting rampant corruption in the Games' preparations started coming out. Adding to his woes, the Central Vigilance Commission also pointed out financial wrongdoings in the construction work carried out for the October 3 to 14 event.

Source: Web Search

Horror Hungarian finish have left F1 title hopes "hanging by a thread": Hamilton

Published>Tue, Aug 03 10 02:37 PM

London, Aug 3(ANI): British Formula One ace Lewis Hamilton has admitted that his championship title hopes are "hanging by a thread" following McLaren's shocking Hungarian Grand Prix result.

The race was McLaren's worst of the year, with Hamilton retiring with a gearbox failure, and Button finishing eighth.

The 25-year-old, now four points behind Red Bull's Mark Webber in the drivers standing, said the remaining seven races "are going to be hard".

"We're hanging on by a thin thread at the moment. If Red Bull continue with the pace they have, then we really don't have huge hope," The Sun quoted Hamilton, as saying.

"At this stage of the season, to be so far off and to have a non-finish like I did, whilst we are still in the hunt for the championship, it's obviously serious."It's a case of having to pull together everything we have, in terms of resources of the team, the knowledge we all have, and to be the most united we have ever been," he added.

The next race is the Belgium Grand Prix on August 29. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Sri Lanka fight back after initial jolt

Published>Tue, Aug 03 10 02:23 PM

India dismissed both the openers in the first session even as Sri Lanka fared decently to reach 102 for two at lunch on the opening day of the third and final cricket Test here today.

Tillakaratne Dilshan (41) was run out at the stroke of lunch while Tharanga Paranavitana (8) became a victim of young pacer Ishant Sharma early in the innings.

Skipper Kumar Sangakkara, dropped on 23, was batting on 48 and will resume the innings with a new partner at P Sara Oval.

It could have been different for India had Suresh Raina, preffered over Yuvraj Singh, not dropped Sangakkara off Abimanyu Mithun.

The Karnataka pacer, bowling around the wicket, induced an edge which flew in the slip cordon straight to second slip VVS Laxman but Raina lunged on the chance from the left and in utter confusion the opportunity was lost.

The young Indian pace duo did a much better job, with the track being a little helpful in morning conditions.

Ishant bowled fast, troubled batsmen and got the wicket of Paranavitana, who edged one to Dhoni behind the wicket as early as in the fourth over of the innings.

Unlike the first two Tests, Ishant and Mithun did succeed initially to contain the batsmen but once the Lankans got their eye in they were at their usual best.

Dilshan smashed Ishant for two cracking boundaries and Kumar Sangakkara hit Amit Mishra, who came in for injured Harbhajan Singh, for a four and a six to break the shackles.

Together they raised a 87-run stand, which ended with a brilliant piece of work by Murali Vijay in the close fielding position.

Dilshan pushed one off Pragyan Ojha and left his crease anticipating that Vijay, at silly point, will not be able to stop the ball.

But a full stretched Vijay succeeded in clutching the ball and threw it towards Dhoni, who took off the bails in no time and left Dilshan bamboozled.

Dilshan hit four fours in his 70-ball knock while Sangakkara faced 65 balls and helped himself with four fours and a six.

Earlier, Dhoni lost his third successive toss and India were forced to bowl in batting friendly conditions.

Source: Web Search

China guarantees overseas media rights to cover Asian Games

Published>Tue, Aug 03 10 02:07 PM

Beijing, August 3 (ANI): China has guaranteed that overseas media will be given freedom to cover the 16th Asian Games scheduled for Nov 12-27 and the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Para Games for disabled Asian athletes in december.

"Overseas reporters will be free to interview athletes, coaches, officials and residents if they abide by relevant Chinese laws and rules and the regulations of the Olympic Council of Asia during the upcoming Asian Games," China daily quoted Xu Ruisheng, deputy mayor of Guangzhou and executive deputy director of the organizing committee of the 16th Asian Games, as saying.

The Chinese government adopted a more relaxed regulation on overseas media on Jan 1, 2007, lifting many restrictions on journalists' reportage during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The regulation was formalized in October 2008, making it easier for overseas journalists to conduct interviews.

A total of 10,000 journalists, including more than 3,000 from overseas, are expected to cover the Guangzhou event this year.

An employee from the Guangzhou bureau of Japan's Nikkei Inc said the local government has provided "plenty of help" to foreign media in the past months.

"They have provided me with enough materials and pointers for interviews in the past days, and the service is good," the employee told China Daily.

Ruisheng also said that relevant departments will "seriously consider the applications for rally and protest in line with laws, regulations and relevant procedures".

He urged rally and protest organizers to apply for approvals before they hold mass protests.

Late last year, the organizing committee promised to set up special protest zones in the city's Panyu district, where the Asian Games Town (AGT) is located, for protesters to air their grievances during the Games. (ANI)

Source: Web Search