Thousands back out as the Organising Committee fails to pay up

For them, the Commonwealth Games brought a godsend opportunity to serve their country and get paid handsomely for it.

No, we are not talking about the organisers.

Thousands of students from colleges across Delhi and NCR who had aspired to work as volunteers during the mega sporting event are now backing out, as the Organising Committee is reportedly not honouring its promise of paying each one of them Rs 1,000 per day as remuneration.

At least 4,000 volunteers from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU ) alone have walked out in the past few days.

According to Vibhor Anand, in-charge, CWG volunteers, GGSIPU, "Initially when I was contacted for volunteers from my university, I was told that we will be paid Rs 1,000 per day. But nothing of this sort was written in the application form. Later when volunteers were short-listed they were made to sign documents where it was mentioned that there would be no payment of any kind. It was a blow to many of the students who were expecting some kind of stipend."

There are about 30,000 volunteers participating from all over India who have been scanned and short listed by the Organising Committee. According to the sources, around 15,000 students are from the GGSIPU & Delhi University alone. Sources told MiD DAY that an estimated 11,000 volunteers have backed out so far.

"It was a matter of pride for me when I thought of becoming a volunteer but I now I am getting to hear such negative stories about the Commonwealth Games that I dropped the idea," said Ashish, who recently opted out.u00a0 No OC official was available for a comment.

Volunteers are still confused about their training sessions, Ids and passwords and duties.

It's for the nation
Apart from the Army, the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) will pay none of the 400-odd medical professionals. "There will be no remuneration for these professionals... they are doing a duty for the country," OC's chief medical officer Bharatinder Singh said on August 26.
The medical professionals, especially doctors, are from the Delhi government as well as the central government. 179 medical students will be given job of health volunteers.