New Delhi:
As scam after scam is unraveled before the Commonwealth Games, perhaps the biggest scandal of these Games is the human cost - the story of 42 labourers who died on the job working in pathetic conditions.
And it's not just them, over 6 lakh labourers in the Capital are working in what are evidently callous and inhuman conditions. And even though he may sound sympathetic, Mr Kalmadi has no answers.
A cess of Rs 400 crore has been collected for the welfare of these workers, but the living condition of these labourers clearly shows they are yet to get anything. And this is the scenario at all the sites across the Capital where the work is going on.
Ramdhan, his wife and two kids have been living on different roadsides for the last eight months.
He is just paid Rs 130 a day and if he is unable to work, he doesn't get paid. Even if he is hurt on the job, there is no such thing as medical benefit for him or his family.
"Agar chot lag jati hai toh khud ki ilaj karana padta hai (If I get injured, I have to bear the cost of treatment)," he said.
And what does the Labour Commissioner had to say to this?
The nodal officer for labour issues in the Commonwealth Games said even he doesn't know where the families of the 42 dead workers are? He said he cud try and find out.
The Commissioner also said the families have certainly been given compensation, but was too busy to tell how much that compensation was.
The high court has now stepped in and asked all the authorities to work for the welfare of the labour working on the Games projects and take action against contractors who're not treating them well.
"The court has said each labour should be registered and all details should be given to us so that we can do something for them," said an activist fighting for the cause of the labourers.
But will something actually be done? Will the Capital - and the country - spare a thought for those building our city end?