Demolish Kalighat bridge over nullah: Panel
A state government-appointed committee has recommended the bridge that connects Alipore and Kalighat over the Tolly’s Nullah should be demolished. The committee was appointed to run a health check on bridges and flyovers in the city and cited irreparable damage to the structure as the reason behind the recommendation.
The committee, made up of the engineers of the urban development department, identified the 56-year-old bridge as the only one in south Kolkata that has to be replaced. The bridge’s weight-bearing capacity is highly compromised, steel reinforcements are severely corroded and the superstructure of the stands is damaged, the panel said.
Government asks private hospitals to allot 50 beds each
The West Bengal government has appealed to all private hospitals to earmark at least 50 beds each for COVID patients. It has also asked more private diagnostic laboratories to conduct coronavirus tests. Some hospitals have already allotted more than 50 beds for coronavirus patients. Others, who claimed to have set aside a fewer number of beds for Covid-19 patients, said it would be difficult to increase the bed count because of infrastructure and staff constraints.
The appeal to private hospitals comes at a time when Covid-19 cases are constantly rising in the state. While around 100 cases were being reported every day in the middle of May, there are more than new 300 cases being reported every day in June.
JU engineering faculty to probe fall in NIRF ranking
Jadavpur University has asked its engineering faculty to find out the reason behind the University’s declining position in the NIRF rankings. NIRF is an annual ranking exercise carried out by the Union human resource development ministry. In 2017, the university was ranked ninth in the engineering category in the NIRF. However, in 2018 and 2019, the university finished outside the top-10 and ranked 12th and 14th respectively. It slipped further to the 17th position this year.
IIM-Calcutta students demand fee waiver
Students of IIM Calcutta have sought a fee waiver from the management, citing the grim state of the economy and uncertain job market. “The situation of the economy looks very grim and the current and graduating batches may be adversely affected in terms of future prospects. Many of the students avail hefty student loans while others end up spending their savings from previous jobs for this course,” Hunar Gandhi, president of the institute’s student council, wrote to Director Anju Seth. The director assured that all steps were being taken for helping the students.
Pranab Mondal
Our correspondent in West Bengal
pranabm@newindianexpress.com