Delhi Slums to be Hidden by Bamboo Screen during CWG

What cannot be removed must be hidden, the city fathers believe. If you cannot eradicate poverty, eradicate the poor. The same can be seen in the plans of the government which is preparing enthusiastically for commonwealth games. The government is spending tons of money for 2010 CWG preparation which will barely last for 11 or 12 days, but it has no money for poor slum dwellers. I admit the fact that these developments will affect in a longer time and developing basic amenities will make life much smoother for ordinary citizens, but it does not mean that lower class must be left behind.

As Delhi readies to host the Commonwealth Games next year, it is looking to show its painted face to the world while hiding slums behind bamboo screens.( this ensembles like a old lady hiding her scars and wrinkles behind a thick layer of makeup)

Realizing that uprooting slum clusters from all over the capital and rehabilitating its inhabitants is not a pragmatic solution (can’t be done in the last 40 years, how it could be done in few months, very good excuse for sarkari babus) especially as the deadline for the 2010 Commonwealth Games is drawing to a close — the Delhi government has decided to literally screen the not-so-welcoming sights from the many visitors expected for the event.

Similar moves were made in Beijing during last year’s Olympics when screens were put up before not so pretty sections of the city which the authorities did not want the millions of visitors to China to see. Giant screens are also seen in several cities in Latin America to block out ugly sights from visitors.

Delhi Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta told IANS: “We have spoken to the agriculture department of Mizoram to help us in planting bamboo trees which can be used to screen the shanties and slums on the roadside of all those routes through which the Commonwealth convoy is expected to go.”

“We want to present a good face of Delhi during the Games next year, but it is not possible to remove all the slums. Therefore, we have decided to use bamboo screens instead to simply conceal the sights,” Mehta said.

The agriculture department of Mizoram has been especially asked for a type of bamboo that can withstand Delhi’s dry climate.

“In the northeast, the weather is humid, but for our purpose we need at least five-foot-tall bamboos which can survive the dry weather. We are also planning to take Assam’s help in this regard since bamboo grows there as well,” Mehta told in an interview.

“We are also consulting the National Bamboo Mission and the National Mission of Bamboo Application in this regard,” he added.

However, not all ‘jhuggis’ or slums will be ’screened’.

“Slum dwellers near the Commonwealth Games village have been rehabilitated at Bawana. About 9,000 houses have been made for them there,” Mehta said.

The 2010 Commonwealth Games Oct 3-14 next year is expected to see a huge turnout of players and tourists. Seventy-one member countries are scheduled to participate in the Games that have 17 sports disciplines.

While numerous other preparations are under way to make the event a success giving all flyovers an aesthetic look, improving connectivity and ensuring that there are enough rooms to accommodate the players and tourists the slums have continued to be a matter of concern.