Govt. to fast-track development of ports
The Hindu
Minister says plan is to complete Vizhinjam project in two years
Signalling a paradigm shift in executing big ticket projects, the second Pinarayi Vijayan government is all set to fast-track the development of the main ports in the State. In an interview to The Hindu, Minister for Ports and Museums Ahammad Devarkovil indicated that the government was keenly focusing on the multi-crore Vizhinjam International Transshipment Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport as well as the Malabar Seaport at Azhikkal in Kannur. Already several rounds of discussions have been held with representatives of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. to complete the international transshipment project at Vizhinjam within two years. Also, Ahmedabad-based Howe Engineering Projects India Private Limited had been tasked to prepare the Detailed Project Report for the development of Malabar Seaport at Azhikkal. The estimated project is ₹3,698 crore.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.