Commonwealth foreign ministers set to quiz India on CWG

Krishna will meet foreign ministers of Commonwealth countries Sept 27, an annual gathering on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly.  Against the backdrop of a shooting incident near the 16th century Jama Masjid in old Delhi Sunday, which provoked some countries like Britain and Australia to issue travel advisories, Krishna is preparing for a volley of questions from his counterparts from  over security arrangements for the Oct 3-14 Games.

Some 7,000 athletes and officials from 71 countries are expected to attend the Games, India's biggest sporting event since the 1982 Asian Games. With more than 2,500 cases of dengue reported in the last few months, officials accompanying Krishna are preparing answers for likely questions on health issue he may have to face from his counterparts.

A week ago, top Indian officials, including Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, briefed heads of missions of Commonwealth countries in Delhi and assured them that all steps are being taken to ensure the security of visiting dignitaries and athletes during the Games.  The diplomats were also given a detailed presentation on different aspects of the Games, including the security arrangements.

Several foreign contingents have complained about the state of the Games village, with some labelling conditions as "filthy and unlivable". On Wednesday, a portion of a false ceiling at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main venue of the Commonwealth Games, collapsed, a day after a foot overbridge near the stadium came crashing down. No one was injured. Twenty-seven labourers had to be taken to hospital after Tuesday's incident.