Lucknow diary

Express News Service

Kushinagar airport gets proposal from Nepal carrier Six months after getting the nod from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to operate international flights, the newly-constructed Kushinagar airport has received its first proposal from the Nepal-based Buddha Airlines to connect the eastern UP district with Kathmandu via Lucknow. The airline submitted a proposal to Kushinagar airport authorities, which referred it to the DGCA for clearance. The airline plans to operate a flight between Kushinagar and Bhairahawa in Lumbini province of Nepal.  Air connectivity with Nepal is expected to boost the Buddhist circuit. Tourists from Buddhist nations touch down at Kathmandu airport and then come to Kushinagar by road. Tourists will have a direct flight from Bhairahawa and Kathmandu to Kushinagar.

Book promotion centre turns haven for bibliophilesThe newly-opened Uttar Pradesh Book Promotion Centre (BPC) at Vishwavidyalaya Metro station would be the repository of literary works on history, governance/policy, science, fiction and languages, among others, with a collection of over 2,000 tomes. BPC is set to be a new hub for book lovers in the city. This would be a ‘bonus library’ for the denizens already pampered with a host of libraries. BPC will offer book lovers a Readers’ Corner, Authors’ Corners, Young Writers Mentorship Scheme, Panchayat Libraries, Mobile Exhibition Vans and much more in the coming days. It will be home to books in over 55 Indian languages and dialects, on science, social science, art and culture, education, competitive exams and biographies.

No tests for kids returning to schools Children returning to school after almost 18 months will be eased into school life and no tests will be held in the near future for them. The teachers have been asked to extend ‘emotional support’ to children attending government schools since classes resumed from September 1. Directives have been issued not to burden children with studies or tests, written or oral, to avoid stress as not only had they been away from studies for long, but they were also exposed to the deadly coronavirus which affected the learning process adversely. The children have to be involved more in activities and games.

Special jab drive boosts fight against pandemicSpecial vaccination camps organised at religious places in the city have given boost to the drive. They account for nearly 10% of the 28.2 lakh Covid doses administered in the city so far. There are 19 such special camps, with the highest of 77,156 shots getting administered at the booths set up at Eidgah Aishbagh, followed by Naka Gurdwara (48,520), Chhota Imambara (30,020), Sant Nirankari Bhawan (17,183), Sadar Gurdwara (15,745) and Radha Swami Satsang (6,299). Eidgah Aishbagh was the first to double as a vaccination centre on May 19. People prefer these places because of good amenities.

Namita bajpaiOur correspondent in Uttar Pradesh namita.bajpai@newindianexpress