New Delhi:
Rattled by the criticism of the capital's tardy preparations for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Sports Minister MS Gill on Tuesday held hectic meetings with Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Indian Olympic Association President Suresh Kalmadi to take stock of the situation.
The Minister first had a detailed meeting with Kalmadi, also the Chairman of the 2010 Games Organising Committee, and IOA secretary general Randhir Singh, on the grey areas pointed out by Commonwealth Games Federation President Michael Fennell.
"Fennell's letter to the Organising Committee members have been forwarded to the Sports Secretary who studied it and briefed the Minister. The Minister is himself in touch with the highest echelon in the government, as he normally does in such matters," a source said.
Later in the evening, Gill had a separate meeting with Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit at his residence and they discussed issues related to the Games.
Fennell was miffed with the pace of the capital's preparation for the October 3-14 multi-discipline event and shot off an angry letter, saying the Games was heading for "partial failure" unless the organisers pulled up their socks and got some experienced foreign experts on board.
The CGF chief was so angry that he asked Kalmadi to fix a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh so that he could explain him the seriousness of the issue.
Clearly embarrassed after Fennell's strongly-worded mail found its way to the media, both Kalmadi and Dikshit have sought to dispel the fears and assured every thing would be put in place well before the Games.
In today's meeting, Dikshit gave Gill an updated account of the current Commonwealth Games projects in the city.
Kalmadi has agreed to arrange Fennell's meeting with the Prime Minister so that the CGF chief "does not have doubts in his mind".
"Most of the issues have been addressed and I will be happy to take Mr Fennell to the PM and discuss all the issues whatever he has. He should not have any doubt in mind," Kalmadi said in a statement on Monday.
"There should not be any doubt that all the venues will be ready in time. All the infrastructure will be ready in the dates promised, that is in December and February next year," Kalmadi said.
The Minister first had a detailed meeting with Kalmadi, also the Chairman of the 2010 Games Organising Committee, and IOA secretary general Randhir Singh, on the grey areas pointed out by Commonwealth Games Federation President Michael Fennell.
"Fennell's letter to the Organising Committee members have been forwarded to the Sports Secretary who studied it and briefed the Minister. The Minister is himself in touch with the highest echelon in the government, as he normally does in such matters," a source said.
Later in the evening, Gill had a separate meeting with Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit at his residence and they discussed issues related to the Games.
Fennell was miffed with the pace of the capital's preparation for the October 3-14 multi-discipline event and shot off an angry letter, saying the Games was heading for "partial failure" unless the organisers pulled up their socks and got some experienced foreign experts on board.
The CGF chief was so angry that he asked Kalmadi to fix a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh so that he could explain him the seriousness of the issue.
Clearly embarrassed after Fennell's strongly-worded mail found its way to the media, both Kalmadi and Dikshit have sought to dispel the fears and assured every thing would be put in place well before the Games.
In today's meeting, Dikshit gave Gill an updated account of the current Commonwealth Games projects in the city.
Kalmadi has agreed to arrange Fennell's meeting with the Prime Minister so that the CGF chief "does not have doubts in his mind".
"Most of the issues have been addressed and I will be happy to take Mr Fennell to the PM and discuss all the issues whatever he has. He should not have any doubt in mind," Kalmadi said in a statement on Monday.
"There should not be any doubt that all the venues will be ready in time. All the infrastructure will be ready in the dates promised, that is in December and February next year," Kalmadi said.
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