New Delhi:
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has said Mike Hooper's remarks on Delhi's population are "very unkind."
Hooper, who is the CEO of the Commonwealth Games Federation, allegedly told a New Zealand TV channel that India's considerable population was to blame for traffic problems in Delhi for the CWG.
However, Mike Fennell, who is the President of the CGF, has said that Hooper was misquoted. Fennell said Hooper has also been "wrongly criticised" for blaming the Indian government for missed deadlines.
"Far from any emotive commentary, Mr Hooper merely stated the fact that the responsibility for delivering and operating the Games lies with authorities in India, as per the Host City contract," Fennell said.
Dikshit told NDTV on Monday that the flats in the contentious Athletes Village, attacked last week for gross lack of hygiene, will be ready soon, but she refused to commit to a deadline. Contingents like UK's are staying in five-star hotels, allegedly at taxpayers' expense, while the government works to clean up the Village. Sources say participating countries have complained that toilets, furniture and light fixtures are still not upto the mark.
(Read:Games Village not good enough, says team Scotland)On Sunday, the South African High Commissioner said a snake had been found in a room that was meant for one of his atheletes. After rebuking India publicly for that, Mbulelo Mejeke said on Monday that arrangements in the Village seem to have improved.
(Read: After snake setback, he's happy with CWG Village now)