Top Headlines of the Day
1. Forest officials rescue 10-ft python from Chandigarh Lake Club
The python was rescued within half an hour and released in the nearby Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary. The girth of the python was around two feet, said Dr. Abdul Qayum, Deputy Conservator of Forests, UT.
2. Cinemas to open from Friday, schools in Chandigarh to remain closed for classes 1-8
Cinema owners claim to ensure social distancing among people even in corridors or in the food court. Thermal scanning of each guest would be done before each show and sanitizers would be made available.
The Central government had left it to the states and UTs to decide if schools are opened from October 15 but only after the consent of parents. The education department then sought consent from parents for classes 1 to 8 but the majority of them were not keen. After parents stated that they were not keen on sending their students to schools at this time, the Chandigarh Administration has decided to keep the schools closed till October 30.
3. Chandigarh schools may reopen for Classes 9-12 students from November 2
Director of school education Rubinderjit Singh Brar said, “We have prepared a proposal and sent it to the authorities concerned. A final call will be taken before November 2.”
Officials said students will need parents’ consent to attend school, and attendance will not be compulsory. With only a few students in schools, social distancing measures will be enforced.
Online classes will continue and remain the preferred mode of teaching. However, government schools will continue to call Class 9 to 12 students for academic consultation until October 31.
Although Private schools are unwilling to open. Independent School Association president HS Mamik said, “Until over 50% of the parents are unwilling to send their wards to school, the schools should not open.”
4. Soon, track garbage trucks in Chandigarh through a mobile app
On Thursday, Chandigarh Smart City Ltd (CSCL) board of directors agreed to allocate work for setting up a Solid Waste Management Vehicle Tracking and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) facility, which will come up in the municipal corporation (MC) building.
CSCL chief general manager NP Sharma said, There will be a ‘performance indicator’ installed on every vehicle, which will be linked to SCADA. It will indicate the time taken by the trucks to collect garbage from each house, whether it was within the specified period and reasons for the delay if any,”
5. Chandigarh to move pre-fab shelter occupants to EWS flats
The UT Administration has decided to relocate the residents of pre-fab shelters in Sector 52 and 56 to EWS flats constructed by the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) in Maloya-I.
the list had been uploaded on the official website of the CHB. Any persons having any objection to the names in the list may give complaint or suggestion in writing to the Secretary, CHB, on or before October 22
6. GMSH-16 to resume OPD services on Monday
The hospital will be the first among the city’s government health institutes to restart its routine services since they were suspended on March 19, a day after the first Covid-19 case surfaced in Chandigarh.
For now, only services of the orthopedics, gynecology, surgery, skin, and pediatrics departments will be restored.
7. Chandigarh grain market traders go on indefinite strike
The market welfare association of the Sector 26 Grain Market will go on an indefinite strike on Friday against high parking fees being levied on traders.
president of the association Ram Karan Gupta said, “The two-hour window for a single entry of vehicles is unjust. For parking commercial vehicles, contractors charge up to ₹250 per day. Moreover, as a part of their contract they can increase the parking fee yearly for the next four years.”
8. PU centers to remain closed today
Institutions, regional and rural centers, and affiliated colleges of Panjab University in Punjab will remain closed on October 16 on the account of the 350th birth anniversary of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur.
9. E-tickets for Navratri pooja at Mansa Devi, prasad home delivered
Devotees will get e-tickets from the board’s website www.mansadevi.org.in to visit the temple. Around 11,000 e-tickets will be on offer and free Covid testing will be done at the entrance
‘Preferential darshan’ has also been introduced this time on a trial basis with a Rs 50 token issued to each devotee for special entry from gate number 2.
Nearly 100 devotees will be allowed in an hour and 1,600 in a day.
As part of another scheme, prasad of dry fruits in 100 gram and 200-gram packets will be distributed through the post for Rs 101 and Rs 151, respectively, throughout India. Devotees can also get prasad at the temple for Rs 50 and Rs 100 even as the desi ghee halwa prasad will be distributed free of cost.
Those wishing to stay at the temple can book a room at the Dharamshala (guest house) online on furnishing a Covid test report.
Bhandara (meal distribution) has also been allowed so devotees can carry packed food on their way back home.
Scenes from the temple will also be broadcast online through Mansa Devi’s Facebook and Youtube channels
10. Mohali gets the green light for staging Ramlila
Deputy commissioner Girish Dayalan said “In closed spaces, 50% of the hall capacity is allowed with a ceiling of 200 people. In open spaces, gatherings can be held according to the size of the ground after taking prior permission of the subdivisional magistrate (SDM) of the division concerned,”
In Mohali, Ramlila is staged at eight places – two in Phase 2, and one each in Phases 4, 5, 11, Sector 68, Mataur, and Sohana. The main Dussehra function will be held in Phase 8.
