Entrepreneurs pin hopes on new coastal shipping plan
The Hindu
Beypore port to be made into a satellite facility of Vallarpadam ICTT
The move of the State government to give green signal for a much-awaited cargo shipping promotional programme connecting the Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) with the Beypore Port has kindled fresh hopes among importers and exporters from northern Kerala districts. Entrepreneurs in the sector hope that they will be able to save a huge amount now being spent as road freight charges. Based on the latest ministry-level discussions, a blueprint will be prepared by the Kozhikode district administration to make Beypore port as a satellite port of the ICTT in the future. It is likely to be submitted to the Ministry of Ports within a week. The plan is to start trial operations by the end of June. Functionaries of the Kerala Exporters Forum say they have been working for the realisation of the proposal for many years, unable to bear the ever increasing road freight charges and unexpected hurdles on congested roads. If it becomes a reality, only one-third of the existing shipping cost will be required for container delivery, they point out.Several principals of government and private schools in Delhi on Tuesday said the Directorate of Education (DoE) circular from a day earlier, directing schools to conduct classes in ‘hybrid’ mode, had caused confusion regarding day-to-day operations as they did not know how many students would return to school from Wednesday and how would teachers instruct in two modes — online and in person — at once. The DoE circular on Monday had also stated that the option to “exercise online mode of education, wherever available, shall vest with the students and their guardians”. Several schoolteachers also expressed confusion regarding the DoE order. A government schoolteacher said he was unsure of how to cope with the resumption of physical classes, given that the order directing government offices to ensure that 50% of the employees work from home is still in place. On Monday, the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) had, on the orders of the Supreme Court, directed schools in Delhi-NCR to shift classes to the hybrid mode, following which the DoE had issued the circular. The court had urged the Centre’s pollution watchdog to consider restarting physical classes due to many students missing out on the mid-day meals and lacking the necessary means to attend classes online. The CAQM had, on November 20, asked schools in Delhi-NCR to shift to the online mode of teaching.