Kolkata Municipal Corporation can also issue certificates
Various officials of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) have been empowered to issue resident proof, income and other certificates in the absence of ward coordinators.
The certificates, which were issued by councillors and then by ward coordinators after the last civic board's tenure lapsed in May 2020, are required to get benefits under various social schemes of the government.
The executive engineer, assistant engineer and sub-assistant engineer of the civil department of the KMC can issue income certificate and resident proof certificates. Any gazetted officer can also issue a residence proof certificate including chief, deputy and assistant managers of the civic body.
Email ID for higher secondary queries
The state higher secondary council has come up with a helpline in the form of an email address where students can send any query related to the examinations due in June. The examinees can send their queries to hs2021@gmail.com.
Usually, the council comes up with a helpline every year in the form of phone numbers a day before the start of the theory papers so examinees can alert the council about any emergency.
Elaborating on what prompted to launch the helpline three months before the exam, an official of the council said a major change had taken place this year with the state government pruning the syllabus for the students of Class X and XII, who will write their board exams in June as in-person classes could not be held because of Covid-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 grounds airport expansion plan
Kolkata airport has put a hold on Rs 1,000 crore expansion project because COVID-19 pandemic has led to a sharp drop in the passenger count and revenue and the authorities are not sure when the volume would reach the pre-pandemic level.
The airport has lost 10 million passengers and a Rs 600 crore profit plunged to a Rs 200 crore loss. "The airport recorded a huge drop in the passenger count in 2021-21. We are not sure when the passenger count go up again because there is a fresh surge in COVID-19 cases. There is also a shortage of funds because of revenue loss," said an airport official.
Reschedule practical for COVID positive students: CBSE regional office
Principals of CBSE schools in Kolkata have been told that they can reschedule a board exam practical for a Class XII student if he or she tests positive for COVID-19. The CBSE regional office has said that if any candidate tests positive and is not in a position to appear in the practical exam, the practical for that student can be held at a later date.
Principals said this decision will reassure parents and students. Several schools have either started Class XII board practicals or will start soon amid rising cases. Three city schools closed down for about a week because two students and a teacher tested positive.