Controlling crowds
The Dakshineswar temple will remain shut on the morning of Mahalaya (October 6) to avoid congregations of those who gather at the three adjacent ghats to perform ‘tarpan’. Belur Math will also remain shut on Mahalaya. “We have decided to keep Belur Math shut to visitors on the occasion of Mahalaya, Durga Puja and Chhath Puja,” said an official of the Math. Barring the days mentioned by the official, Belur Math will remain open to visitors from 8 am to 11 am and again 3.30 pm to 5 pm. Visitors need to show their Covid vaccination certificates and identity proof to enter the math premises.
JU going for online mode in pandemic times
Altogether 182 teachers of Jadavpur University have taken financial help from the institute to buy hardware and peripherals as teaching aid during the Covid pandemic. Each teacher has been given Rs 50,000 as interest free salary advance. One of the teachers said the need to procure hardware like desktops and laptops, and peripherals line routers and scanners was on the rise as online classes and examinations would continue for quite some time. According to him, even if the campus reopens after the restive season, chances are that only final-year students will be called in for classes. A notice said the University considered the proposal to provide support towards teaching aid especially in the pandemic area where online teaching is compulsory.
Taking care of heart
BM Birla Heart Research Centre conducted an interactive session on World Heart Day highlighting clinical excellence and nuances in the treatment of cardiology in the post Covid time. Prominent cardiologists Anil Mishra, Anjan Siotia and Ashok B Malpani attended the event which dealt with experiences of patients from states like Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Maharashtra and Karnataka who underwent complicated cardiac procedures right in the midst of the pandemic. Birla Hospitals COO Simmardeep Gill emphasised on taking precautionary measures. ‘’During the last one-and-a-half-year, most of the healthcare units were thronged with cardiac patients. One of the reasons behind this surge was the sceptical attitude of the society towards their routine check-up,’’ said Gill.
UG seats up for grabs
The higher education department has asked government-aided colleges and unitary universities to reopen the online portal for undergraduate admissions, if required, because seats are lying vacant. The department had earlier pushed back the last date for submission of UG applications from August 20 to August 27 as many applicants were still awaiting the higher secondary review results. An official of the education department said the decision to allow aided colleges and unitary universities to reopen the admission portal was taken as it has been observed that a good number of seats are vacant.
Pranab mondal
Our correspondent in West Bengal pranabm@newindianexpress.com