PM holds meeting on CWG

Against the backdrop of criticism over preparations for Commonwealth Games (CWG), Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today took stock of the situation at a meeting of union ministers and others responsible for the mega sporting event beginning on October three.

The meeting was attended by Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy and Sports Minister M S Gill besides Delhi Lieutenant Governor Tejendra Khanna and Chief Minister Sheila Dixit.

National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon and Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrashekhar were also present in the meeting.

The meeting comes two days after international delegates lambasted the Games Village as "filthy and uninhabitable" and top teams such as Canada, Scotland and New Zealand delayed their departure to the Indian capital.

Apart from accusations of inefficiency, the Organising Committee and the government have also been left embarrassed by the collapse of a foot over-bridge near the Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium, which is the main venue for the mega-event.

The first multi-sport international event being held in India since the 1982 Asian Games threatens to become a national embarrassment with several top athletes already pulling out and some more adopting a wait-and-watch policy before taking a final call.