Calling “every day pivotal and every hour vital”, president of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Mike Fennell on Monday put the Suresh Kalmadi-led Organising Committee (OC) on a tight leash with the announcement that an “independent technical committee” of foreign experts would oversee preparations for the 2010 Games and report on a monthly basis.

Hours later, Treasurer of the Organising Committee and vice-president of the Indian Olympic Association A K Mattoo hit back, accusing the world body of having come to India with an agenda.

“It was extremely demoralising,” Mattoo told The Indian Express. “It seemed they came with a preconceived agenda because the points they raised were not at all based on the presentations we made. I don’t know what this independent technical committee is going to do or achieve. There are certain channels, for example, the Indian government, and you cannot bypass them. We expected the CGF to boost our morale but Mike Fennell didn’t do that.”

Earlier, when asked if the CGF had an alternative venue for the Games, Fennell had said: “Our Plan B is Delhi.”

But that was one of the few positive statements he made regarding India’s preparations, after delegates from 71 Commonwealth territories — over the last six days — inspected venues and viewed presentations from the OC.

“There are particular concerns across all operational areas, as well as with the procurement process,” Fennell said, “...the CGF Executive Board has decided to establish a high level independent Technical Review Panel that will meet each month and monitor progress against promise. This Technical Review Panel will report monthly — in an open and transparent fashion — to all stakeholders — the Prime Minister’s Office, the Government of Delhi, to the Organising Committee, the CGF, the CGAs (Commonwealth Games Associations of different countries), and the media.”

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