Delhi Underground

MCD goes on defensive
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi is currently going through a “stressful phase”. As if the recent flood of waterlogging complaints were not enough,the Delhi Government asked the civic body last week to concentrate on “transparency” and “discipline”,and not indulge in a “blame game”. “The Capital received unprecedented rains and to make it worse,the whole city is dug up for the Games. So,how can we be the only ones responsible for the whole mess?” asked an irate MCD official.

No beds for the ailing
The seriousness of H1N1 and dengue outbreak has dawned on the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) at a time when the Commonwealth Games is at its very doorstep. The issue of access to medical treatment is,however,yet to be addressed. Last week,when a municipal health officer’s driver was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia,he faced the same frustrations as the city’s common man. A city hospital,where he was first taken,refused to admit him — citing lack of beds for dengue/H1N1 patients. It was only after the MHO made several calls and pulled a couple of strings that the driver was admitted to an MCD hospital,where he is currently being treated.

Going loco on CWG logo
The Organising Committee has always been very touchy in matters relating to the unsolicited use of its logo. Even before Musli Power,manufacturer of a Kerala-based aphrodisiac,was sent a legal notice for using the Commonwealth Games logo in an advertisement,the Indian Tourist Transporters Association,a body recognised by the Ministry of Tourism,had tasted the wrath of the OC in that regard. Hoping to gain some participation in the Games,the body had sent a memorandum to the OC,requesting that it be signed on as a partner in the Games. To show its goodwill,the association had pasted the OC logo on its memorandum. However,things did not work out as expected,and all hell broke loose after the OC received the memorandum. “We had to make a personal apology,” a member of the ITTA said,adding that the body was — as expected after the fiasco — not made a partner in the event.

Cover floods,not courts
The lawyers at the Tis Hazari courts don’t seem too happy with the media incessantly covering cases therein. As one of its lawyers put it: “Why is the media so adamant about reporting our cases,when there’s a flood happening right outside the court? Why don’t you write on it?” Also,though most people were miffed about the leaking ceilings in the judicial institution,a lawyer thought it was a blessing in disguise — considering that most of the courtrooms are not air-conditioned.

Touts may be Games-lucky
Considering that he had been pushing hard for the anti-touting law for at least five years now,Delhi Police Commissioner YS Dadwal is reportedly frustrated that the chances of it coming up before the Commonwealth Games are dim. The Delhi government,which is expecting a much higher presence of foreign tourists in the city than usual this October,also wanted the law to be put in place before the event. While the Tourism department had proposed that Goa’s anti-touting law be replicated here,Dadwal wanted “a more effective law than the one in Goa or Kashmir to completely curb touting”. At present,a city tout is only booked under Section 107/151 of the CrPC,which entails being produced before a magistrate and the imposition of a mere Rs 100 fine.