CWG: Narrow escape for Indian cyclist Vishavjeet Singh from horrific crash
Birmingham, Aug 1: Indian cyclist Vishavjeet Singh, who qualified for the final in the men's 15km scratch race, made a narrow escape from the horrific crash that grabbed the spotlight at the Commonwealth Games.
The incident happened in the afternoon on Sunday when the cyclists were into their final leg of the 10-lap qualifying scratch race. Eight riders collided on the track at the Lee Valley Velo Park in London.
The 24-year-old Olympic champion Matt Walls of England suffered stitches, scrapes and bruises after crashing over the barriers. Isle of Man's Matt Bostock and Canada's Derek Gee were also taken to hospital following minor injuries, said an official here.
Spectators were also injured, with one being taken away in a wheelchair as cyclists and bikes flew into the crowd, said team India cycling coach Dayalram Jatt.
Narrating the incident Jatt said Singh was just behind the pack but he showed presence of mind and moved away by braking in time.
"It requires tremendous skill to brake in time in that rush of blood and he did exactly that to stop behind as bikes flew into the barriers. It was simply horrific, I never saw such an accident. We were left shaking in fear for some time," Jatt told PTI from London.
Vishavjeet, however, made sure that he reached a historic final for the first time in a multi-sport event.
In the final consisting of 60 laps, Singh was going strong but fell behind in the final lap and incurred a penalty point to be labelled "did not finish (DNF)".
"But overall, I'm happy for Singh to have survived the crash and make the final," the coach said.
HUGE crash at cycling during the Commonwealth Games in England 😳
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Karnataka launches India’s first digital grievance system for gig workers
Bengaluru: In a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, the Karnataka government has launched a digital grievance redressal system for gig workers to provide structured support and protection to platform-based workers.
According to The Hindu, the system, developed by the Karnataka Platform-based Gig Workers’ Board in collaboration with the Department of e-Governance, allows workers to file complaints through the Integrated Public Grievance Redressal System (IPGRS).
Gig workers can raise issues related to pay, working conditions, and platform-specific disputes. Complaints will be routed to the Internal Dispute Resolution Committees (IDRCs) of respective platforms and are expected to be resolved within a defined timeframe. This is expected to bring transparency and legal recourse for a workforce that has so far operated without a formal dispute resolution framework.
Under The Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act and Rules, every aggregator platform must constitute an Internal Dispute Resolution Committee (IDRC). Platforms such as Namma Yatri and Yulu have already integrated their IDRC contact details with the government portal.
Around 12 lakh gig workers have been identified in the state, and a unique identification system is being developed to remove duplicate entries. Officials said welfare schemes are also being designed based on type of work, working hours, and contribution.
Labour Minister Santosh Lad said that Karnataka, technology capital of the country, is leveraging this potential for worker welfare as well. “By launching this system, we are ensuring that the gig economy is no longer an informal space, but a structured one where every worker’s voice is heard,” he said.
“The schemes will vary based on the type of platforms. For example, cab rides are mostly undertaken by men whereas urban domestic activity is undertaken mostly by women. It may also be based on the contribution made, and the quantum of gig work done by a gig worker. Some gig workers work for more than eight hours while some may work on a few gigs. So, work load, nature of work, and time period of work could vary,” TH quoted G. Manjunath, Additional Labour Commissioner and CEO of the Board as saying.
“It has to be scientifically structured based on their effort and labour. We are working with experts, including academicians from Briston University, King’s College, and IISc, and other stake holders, including board members,” he said.
Officials added that aggregator platforms will be required to contribute 1 per cent towards worker welfare, with implementation beginning July 5.
