COMMON
V/S
WEALTH
EXPOSING COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2010
KAPIL
MISHRA
9. Tell me Why
But this Shera represents the cruel and rare side of Tiger-
the Man Eater.
They are killing animals, they are cutting trees, they are
displacing people, snatching livelihoods, destroying river,
looting the taxpayers, violating all possible labor laws,
increasing cost of living to unimaginable heights, asking
students to vacate hostels, destroying heritage of this age old
city and all this in the name of Green Games.
Delhi won the bid in November 2003, in last six and half years
whatever has happened in the name of Games completely
defies above mentioned vision, mission and values.
Initially the estimated cost of the games was around Rs. 1,899
crores which has already rose to Rs. 30,000 crores and is still
increasing. Who will pay this cost?
The way these games are being organized in the city, people
are forced to pay very heavy social cost also. Thousands of
families are forced to move to the outskirts of the city in areas
like Bawana where there is no livelihood available. These
people were forcibly removed so that Govt. can use land for
“developing” venues and infrastructure related to games.
The way all games related project were delayed for last seven
years and all concerned officials and authorities kept waiting
for the costs to increase till eleventh hour, it raises serious
doubts about the intention of people involved. Now you can
not raise the question as it is a matter of “national pride”.
Time to make clear that one can still love this city and love this
nation and hate the loot in the name of commonwealth games.
Commonwealth games are in no way a matter of national pride.
In this book, you will find a chapter that deals with Myths and
Realities associated with Commonwealth Games. The objective
is to make it clear that loving the nation doesn't mean that you
have to accept whatever is being done in the name of games
and helping the readers understand the game that is being
played in the name of CWG.
I have also tried to discuss the much debated aspect i.e. delays
in the games projects and costs involved. There is clear reason
to believe that delay in almost all game related project was
intentional and authorities were just waiting for the costs to
sour. It also provided them to create an alarming situation and a
sense of emergency so that they can spend any amount of
money at the eleventh hour justifying it in the name of national
prestige. It also provided them freedom to give contracts to
anyone and prevented questions on quality and other important
aspects.
There is no point in talking about all this without actually
identifying the agencies and individuals responsible for this
loot. We all blame the system for one thing or another. Yes
definitely there are loopholes in the system which allows for
leakage. But the kind of loot that has been done in name of
CWG-2010 is beyond the “corruption”that we know. Its not
about some people taking bribe or keeping some share aside.
- Kapil Mishra
Games in context of Gandhi Ji's Talisman
Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."
Here I have tried to list out common myths about these games.
I have also tried to discuss these myths and show the real side
of the picture briefly. After reading this chapter, anyone with an
open mind and with no vested interest involved can easily see
the real side of these games.
Myth No. 1
Myth No. 2
The Truth
Myth No. 3
The Truth
The Truth
Myth No. 5
The Truth
Myth No. 6
The Truth
Myth No. 7
The Truth
Myth No. 8
The Truth
Myth No. 9
The Truth
The Truth
This other side which is here to lose has never even been asked
whether they wish to play this deadly game or not. They are
forced to be part of the “game” and will lose whatever little
they have.
Rules and regulations of this game are not even designed and
framed in favor of a particular side but can also be bended and
mended at will. For example, for poor people, living on
temporary sheds alongside yamuna river bed is not only
environmentally wrong but also a violation of high court
directions citing which authorities have forcibly removed
thousands of people. But same river bed becomes an ideal
location for multi-storey commonwealth games village.
So, for almost sixty years after independence, people are forced
to live without infrastructure and so called “global life style”
and suddenly one fine day they are told to pay for selected type
of infrastructural development in the city that sees development
only as construction of roads and flyovers at selected corners of
the city that too on such a short notice and hurry that no one
gets time to question the intention, quality and costs involved.
From Delhi bidding for the Games till now, it has been a
history of lies and broken promises. Our authorities have not
only lied to the World to get these Games but have also
shattered the dreams and hopes of common people of the city.
Games Villages
(Source: Select relevant excerpts from the Report of the CG
Evaluation Commission for the 2010 Commonwealth Games
dated 7 October 2003 by Dick McColgan, Chairman)
The reality is
Taxpayer of the city has already started feeling the heat of the
games, but this inflation, higher taxes and talks of imposing
professional taxes is just a glimpse of what future holds in for
common people of this city.
The loot doesn’t stop here, everyone who can take something
from this open loot, is busy looting the city, its people and its
resources.
Take the example of new low floor buses that are being bought
by Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC). As per the report by
Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India- The decision
to purchase the buses over and above the justified rates would
burden the exchequer by Rs 244.30 crores, and another Rs.
833.30 crore as maintenance charges over the next 12 years.
But Justice Sharma goes a step further to add that even if the
construction is not on the riverbed, “urbanisation and colossal
construction underway may yet adversely affect the
environment, the river and the ecology”. She also lashes out at
the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute for
unexpectedly changing its stand to favour urbanization. Justice
Sharma concludes with a parting shot that neither the
government, DDA or the NEERI have been “fair” to the river.
What can be more disgusting than the fact that working and
living condition of workers who are building stadiums, games
village, roads, flyovers, etc. to make these Games a success is
pathetic and authorities do not even want to talk about it.
So these small bush-type plants will never replace the trees that
are cut for “development”.
The river, the trees, the workers, the displaced people, the
rising cost of living in the city, the decreasing quality of life for
most sections is the outcome of these Games.
People of the city were never discussed or even told about the
big plans of putting the tax payers money for organization of
games. Authorities have decided to even stop the pension
support for marginal sections in order to ensure funds for
games. Can you call it democratic?
The biggest thing missing from the whole planning and
implementation process of CWG 2010 is the people. So the
decisions about common people are being taken without taking
them in confidence.
And these are not small decisions, these are decisions that have
long term impact on the way we live in this city.
Again the plans are made huge and enough space for
corruption and leakages are provided within the plans. Then the
money is arranged in form of loans, PPP, higher taxes, inflation
etc. and burden is passed on to the common man. Plans are
made in such a way that ensures maximum exploitation and
loot of common people, resources etc.
Plan Big
Create a myth around your plans
Give an emotional connect
Get Big loans or tax the people
Delay and wait for cost to increase
Create panic
Bend rules and regulations
Justify violations with emotional connect and panic situation
Displace people and destroy common resources
Loot and put up a big show
Pass on the burden to tax payer and common people
I have tried to identify and name the people and agencies who
are directly responsible for the loot of common people and
common resources in the name of commonwealth games. The
objective is to seek explanation and fix accountability.
10. Why DDA has given bailout package of Rs. 700 crores
to the builder of Games Village when the builder is
already selling these flats at astonishing costs?
14. Why the Tongas are banned and what has been done to
rehabilitate the affected families?
16. Why authorities are not taking any action against poor
quality of work that has been done in most Games
related project?
19 August 2007
December 2007
21 Feb. 2008
Panel discussion at Indian Women Press Corps(IWPC), co
organized by NHF, attended by Kuldeep Singh( former Justice,
SC), Kuldeep Nayar, Rajender Singh, Dr. Vikram Soni,
Vandana Shiva, M.C.Mehta and Bhure Lal. The topic was
preservation of natural resources in Delhi.
March 2008
We could not afford to stand mute witness to laborers’ death at
Games Village site. Youth for Justice and NHF raised the issue,
agitated against unhygienic conditions at the construction site.
With support from media, we managed to force the authorities
to clean the site and make it hygienic and the deaths stopped.
21 March 2008
5 June 2008
August 2008
Candle marchs and protests in Central Park organized by
Youth for Justice and Aryan Foundation against apathy of
judiciary towards the Yamuna cause.
1 Sept 2008
George Fernandez visits Yamuna Satyagraha sthal and admits
mistake of NDA in permitting Akshardham Mandir on the
flood plains
11 Sept 2008
March to PM’s address venue at Vigyan Bhavan- satyagrahis
taken into custody. Youth for Justice, NHF, and farmers stage
protest march to Vigyan Bhavan, the venue of Ground water
Congress addressed by Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh. The
marchers taken into police custody for through out the day.
Onwards...
Since then our activities have mainly been confined to a
passive mode. The farmers along with satyagrahis have been
maintaining the satyaraha sthal and continuing with relay
hunger strike to demand stop to work on Common Wealth
Games village.
-Abraham Lincoln
About the Author
Kapil is an activist and social
entrepreneur.
blog- http://aamaadmispeaks.wordpress.com
Twitter- Youth4Justice
Facebook- Youthforjustice