Kolkata Diary

Express News Service

On-campus tests for higher-secondary studentsThe heads of a number of government-aided schools said they wanted to conduct on-campus tests for the higher-secondary students so they could assess their level of preparedness ahead of writing the board exams in April next year. They said since the students would be writing the board exams after a gap of two years because of Covid-19 pandemic, they needed to get familiar with the offline examinations. The higher secondary council on Monday said it would be for the schools to decide whether they wanted to hold a test to screen students for the school-leaving exams.  

SEC likely to give nod to municipal corporation pollsThe West Bengal State Election Commission (SEC) is likely to give the go-ahead to elections in the municipal corporations of Kolkata and Howrah on December 19, as desired by the state government, an official said. The elections to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), along with 112 other municipalities and municipal corporations, were due in April-May 2020. But the polls were postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “We had received a communication from the state government. It wants the elections to be held on December 19. We are yet to respond formally. But most likely, the date for polls to KMC and Howrah Municipal Corporation will be December 19,” an SEC official said on condition of anonymity. The date of counting will be decided later, the official said.

138 ghats in city for Chhath Puja celebrationsKolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will prepare 138 ghats across Kolkata for Chhath Puja this year. The event will be celebrated on November 10. Firhad Hakim, the chairperson of the board of administrators of the CMC said the civic body and the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authhority (CMDA) would set up some temporary ghats at multiple ponds and natural water bodies in the city. The areas will be illuminated and wooden steps will be installed for the devotees. These ghats will serve as an alternative to Rabindra Sarovar. The National Green Tribunal has banned religious activities at Sarovar.

Kolkata gasping for fresh airThree air quality monitoring stations in Kolkata reported poor air quality on Tuesday highlighting the need to refrain from bursting firecrackers which release poisonous gases and metals in the air. On Tuesday, two days before the Diwali, the air quality was detected poor at the monitoring stations in Bidhannagar, Jadavpur and Rabindra Bharati University. It was moderated in Ballygunge, Fort William, Rabindra Sarovar and Victoria Memorial. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), poor air can cause breathing discomfort to most people on prolonged exposure. 

Pranab mondalOur correspondent in West Bengal [email protected]