New Delhi:
More angst in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games. Barely a month to go and now a well-known designer has hit out at the Games Organising Committee, claiming that he was commissioned to create a special khadi line to be showcased at the Games village, but halfway through has had his contract withdrawn without any notice.
Designer Jattin Kochhar claims this has cost him lakhs of rupees. ''I was never issued any work order. Neither was I given any advance. It was verbal. They said, in the government, paper work takes time," he said.
On July 30 this year, the Khadi Commission had opened tenders to select a designer who would make a classy khadi line and set up a special shop to display and sell it at the Games village. Two designers, Jattin Kochhar and Ashima Leena bid, and Kochhar won.
Kochhar says the Khadi Commission gave him 1,300 meters of cloth and asked for clothes to be delivered in 25 days. The designer claims he started work, hard-pressed to meet the deadline, but the work order did not arrive.
Now, the Khadi Commission has cancelled the tender, calling it invalid because only two people bid. It has instead transferred the work to the Delhi State Industrial & Infrastructure Development Corporation.
Jattin Kochhar is livid. ''It is very important that everyone gets to know of it so that another creative person is not scammed like this. I am consulting my legal consultants and will take the rights steps after that," he said.
Earlier this month, the chief merchandise agent for the Commonwealth Games had withdrawn his offer to the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee citing delays. Kochhar's accusation will only add to the list of growing charges that the Organising Committee has to grapple with.