Seven grama panchayats in Ernakulam still lagging behind in waste management
The Hindu
Doorstep collection of non-biodegradable waste yet to improve
Seven grama panchayats in Ernakulam have not yet stepped up their capabilities in ensuring doorstep collection of non-biodegradable waste from households and commercial establishments despite several directives from the Department of Local Self Government.
The erring local bodies include Karukutty, Thuravur, Malayatoor-Neeleswaram, Parakkadavu, Chellanam, Kumbalam and Mazhuvannoor. The Department of Local Self Government had carried out multiple rounds of evaluation since April this year on the performance of the local bodies in complying with the provisions under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
Five grama panchayats that had figured in the category of local bodies that had not improved their performance in the previous round of assessment were found to have made some progress. They are Mudakuzha, Koovapady, Vengola, Keerampara and Kizhakkambalam.
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.