Govt machinery geared up for Commonwealth Games: Minister

New Delhi, Feb 28 (UNI) Panchayati Raj, Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Mani Shanker Aiyar today said the Government was trying its best to ensure proper planning and timely preparation for the 2010 Commonwealth Games (CWG).

He said high-level meetings including that of Group of Ministers, Lt Governor and Cabinet Secretariat, were regularly held to assess the preparations for the event.

Most recently, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) took stock of the progress made and advised all concerned to expedite matters, he said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

He said to ensure timely action the Government had put in place a number of insitutional arrangements including a Core Group of Ministers under the co-Chairmanship of the Human Resource Development Minister and the Home Minister for coordinating the various works related to the conduct of Games, an apex committee headed by Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports and an organising committee headed by President of the Olympic Association.

At the state level too, there was a sub-committee under the Chief Minister to take decisions in respect of infrastructure and other preparations.

To improve the performance of the Indian contingent in the CWG, extensive discussions were being held with all stakeholders and a programme for providing training, foreign exposure, scientific backup etc at an estimated cost of Rs 802 crore had been drawn up.

ENVIRONMENT: Minister of State for Environment and Forests Namo Narain Meena said to protect the historical monuments including the Red Fort from air pollution, National Ambient Air Quality Standards have been notified.

The Central Pollution Control Board, with the assistance of state pollution boards, was monitoring the air quality at 332 locations in 121 towns and cities.

In Delhi, the CPCB was monitoring the ambient air quality at Delhi College of Engineering, ITO, Siri Fort on a continuous basis.

Five stations--Shahdara, Pitampura, Nizamuddin and Janakpuri and Shahzada Bagh.

The National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) was also monitoring the air quality at Sarojininagar, Town hall and Mayapuri.

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