About 400 students of Deen Dayal Upadhaya College have joined Commonwealth Games as volunteers. This has been informed during the annual function of the college. Addressing the students and teachers of the college Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today said that no area can progress until it has enough educational Institutes.

Dikshit said people all are now well-informed by historic standards, thanks to the explosion in education, training, media and travel. They are able to access the world’s finest and most invigorating ideas, inventions and discoveries, due to the advancements in print, sound, and visual media.

Principal S K Garg appreciated the students for registering themselves as volunteers through the NSS for 2010 Games. The Chief Minister also gave away prizes to the meritorious students on the occasion.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor has said that there is need to create awareness among the people of the city to make the city green and clean. Talking to fachcha.com on the sidelines of a function in Delhi Secretariat he said that it is not an easy task but there is need to change the mindset is necessary in this concern. Tharoor is Chairman of Green Games Sub-Committee of Commonwealth Games 2010.

People are still not aware of the fact that the government has built a wonderful stadium as Thyagraja stadium in the city. This is probably only stadium in the world which is based on the principle of green building, he said.

He admits that the mindset can not be changed in a day nor it is possible to change completely before Commonwealth Games but mass awareness campaign will work in this regard. Praising media and kids in this regard he said that kids are doing a really wonderful job in the capital city. They are not just participating in the event related to the environment but also creating awareness among other kids of the school and people.

Cleaning of the river Yamuna before Commonwealth Games is impossible. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today said that the she has never claimed that river Yamuna will be cleaned before Commonwealth Games. “Commonwealth Games se pahle yamuna ko saaf karne ka kaam naamumkin hai” (It is impossible to complete cleaning of Yamuna before Commonwealth Games), said Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today while responding a query of media regarding 2010 Games and cleaning of Yamuna. It is notable that due to industrial and domestic pollution the river Yamuna has reduced to a polluted drain in several areas of Delhi.

The issue came while she was addressing the media after release of “Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010 Ecological Code” in Delhi Secretariat. Suresh Kalmadi, Chairman, Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee and Shahi Tahroor, Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Chairman, Green Games Sub-Committee of 2010 Games were also present on the occasion.

The Delhi 2010 Ecological Code targets the impact of the event on the spheres of land, energy, water, waste, air and carbon. The Ecological Code outlines the Environmental Vision and mandates of the Organizing Committee, Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi. The document provides tangible targets and environmental mandates that the Organizing Committee has set out for itself in its quest of striving towards hosting a consumption and carbon neutral event, with a focus on bio-diverse plantation to naturally offset the carbon footprint and sensitization efforts to ensure legacy impact.
The targets and mandates set out in the Delhi 2010 Ecological Code will be the guiding principles for developing a variety of strategic sustainability improvement initiatives and recommendations to Games delivery partners and other stakeholders and ‘green’ sustainability initiatives to be undertaken by the Organizing Committee itself.

Summer vacation of Delhi’s schools has been reduced. Keeping in view of Commonwealth Games the summer vacation will be of 49 days instead of 61 days. The decision has been taken today in a cabinet meeting of Delhi Government.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today stated that re-scheduling of school holidays for 2010-11 has been approved keeping in view ensuing Commonwealth Games 2010.

She added that autumn break in schools will be extended from eight to 17 days to overcome traffic congestion during the Games. It will also help in smooth hosting of Commonwealth Games in the Capital city. It has been decided to start the autumn break from 01.10.2010 to 17.10.2010 as the Games will be organized between 3rd October and 14th October, 2010.

As per the new schedule, the total number of working days in 2010-11 would be 218 days against total number of 215 working days in 2009-10, hence three extra working days in 2010-11. The re-scheduling of school holidays will not at all affect working hours in the schools.

Delhi will provide 10,000 school guides for the inaugural function of CW Games. Delhi
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit announced it inaugurating the first world-class wrestling training venue for Commonwealth Games at Ludlow Castle Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalaya today.

The construction of Ludlow Castle Training Venue has been completed in a record time with a cost of Rs.13 crore. The Wrestling Training Venue is a multipurpose sport venue in the legacy. Centrally air-conditioned building has athlete lounge, change rooms, sport equipment room, medical & physiotherapy, fitness/gym, cafeteria, conference room, etc. at ground floor. Maple Wood Sports Flooring at First Floor would accommodate six Wrestling Mats. Two storeyed Service Block with water tanks, Pump Room, AHUs, HT/HT panels, Air-conditioning Plant facilities would also be available at this Venue.

According to Dikshit all projects related to Commonwealth Games, would be completed well-in time. She said that additional Rs.1300 crore has been enhanced under Plan Outlay for the current year and construction works of both Thyagraj and Chhatrasal Stadiums are on full-swing and likely to be completed in March, 2010