Warning to educational institutions
State education minister Partha Chatterjee has warned private institutions and said that necessary action would be taken if they refused to obey the government’s order announcing the closure of all schools, colleges and universities till April 15. The minister appealed to all private institutions to understand the gravity of the coronavirus crisis and follow the government’s directives. The minister said that several private educational institutions have been keeping their campuses open and allowing people to come in for academic and administrative purposes.
Bengal Ham radio operators help police track gatherings
The Ham radio operators in West Bengal are helping police in tracking down mass gatherings and sending vagabonds to the shelters during the nationwide lockdown imposed in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Police in various districts have received inputs from licenced amateur radio operators in identifying spots and places where social gatherings have been taking place, a senior officer said. “This helps us taking swift action against those who are defying the 21-day lockdown,” the police officer said. Since Tuesday evening, around 60 cases of gatherings were reported by Ham radio operators across the state and around 17 vagabonds have been rescued and sent to shelters The Ham operators have licences to conduct such communications under specific radio frequencies by the Union Ministry of Communications.
IIM-Kolkata suspends convocation
IIM-Kolkata has suspended online display of answer scripts of MBA students that was scheduled for March 21 and the convocation that was slated to be held on April 4. The Joka-B school also cancelled online and in-person interviews that were to be held in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. A member of the admission committee of the institute said the decision to cancel the interviews had been taken because of health emergency and the advisory from the central government stating that all exams and evaluation should rescheduled after March 31. The institute is considering online interviews of shortlisted candidates
for admission to the 2020-22 session.
Pay-and-use quarantine units at 31 hotels
Amid the spurt in Covid-19 cases, 31 hotels in the city and nearby Rajarhat and New Town areas have agreed to offer pay-and use rooms to people who have been asked to live in isolation for 14 days, a senior official said. The state government had requested the hotels to let out some of their rooms as quarantine units, following which necessary arrangements were made at these properties, in accordance with the protocols set by the health department. According to the health department, the rooms should have an attached bathroom facility. All housekeeping and room service staffers have been asked to wear masks and gloves while serving the guests.
Pranab Mondal
Our correspondent in West Bengal pranabm@newindianexpress.com