Impose Community service as penalty on Covid violaters:HC

The Central Board of secondary Education (CBSE) has said that no final decision has been taken regarding the dates for conduct of board exams 2021. The board also said that consultations with stakeholders are still in process before taking a final call. CBSE spokesperson Rama Sharma informed reporters that the  board exams will be conducted in written mode and not online mode whenever they are held. Sharma further said that the exams will be conducted following all COVID-related protocols. Informing about practical exams, Sharma said in case students are not able to do practicals in classes before the exams, alternatives to practical exams will have to be explored.

-External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar had a conversation with his Omani counterpart Badr Albusaidi on Wednesday afternoon. Dr Jaishankar said in a tweet that he appreciated the care taken of the Indian community during COVID-19. They discussed bilateral cooperation including health security and food security. They also exchanged views on regional and international issues.

-The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday urged the State government to draw up a policy to impose community service as a penalty on those found violating COVID-19 safety norms. A Division Bench of Chief Justice Vikram Nath and Justice J.B. Pardiwala issued the direction to the state government on a petition filed by an advocate Vishal Avtani. The State Government has been asked to submit its report on steps taken in this regard before 24th December. Our Ahmedabad correspondent Yogesh Pandya reports that Gujarat High Court came down heavily on the state government for the people not following the compulsory mask and social distancing norms. It has asked the state government to frame the policy and issue suitable notification to make the community service compulsory for such offenders.
-Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa met the Consular General of 13 countries on Wednesday seeking investments in the state.  In his brief to the media persons, the Chief Minister said that Karnataka has secured the highest FDI among all Indian states in April-June quarter this year amounting to over 10,000 crore rupees.The state has also attracted 50 percent of all investments made in the country between January and May this year. Last year, NITI Aayog had adjudged Karnataka as number one in the innovation index. With nearly 250 billion economy, the state offers opportunity in digital technology, aerospace and defence, IT, BT and Engineering. The new Industrial Policy of 2020-25, he pointed out favors investment in every sector. The Chief Minister informed that critical policy reforms in procurement of land, labour and amendment to Karnataka Industrial (Facilitation) Act allows projects to commence operation without any downstream approvals. The Consuls General of Poland, Czech republic, Spain, Slovenia, Peru, Mali among others interacted with the Chief Minister on wednesday.

-Union Minister of Science & Technology Dr. Harsh Vardhan called upon Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) scientists to scale up their sewage treatment technology and install it in all their campuses across the country. Dr. Harsh Vardhan was addressing CSIR scientists via virtual medium after inaugurating the eco-friendly and efficient Phytorid Technology Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (NCL)-Pune, developed by CSIR- National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur and CSIR-NCL. The Minister said that treatment of sewage water is essential to meet the challenge of water scarcity in coming years.The Minister appreciated the Sewage treatment using Phytorid Technology by the CSIR scientists and said that it was a natural treatment method by which treated water could be utilised for various purposes including for drinking. PHYTORID is a subsurface mixed flow constructed wetland system developed and internationally patented by CSIR-NEERI, Nagpur with successful demonstration in the field for more than 10 years of continuous operation as a stand-alone sewage treatment system.

-China on Wednesday said that all countries at the SCO Heads of Govt meet on 30th Nov. appreciated India’s hosting of this meeting. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying while talking about India’s initiatives at SCO in hosting 19th meeting of the SCO Council of Head of Govt, said that all the countries spoke highly of the outcomes reached at the meeting hosted by India. She also said that China stands ready to work with India and other members to coordinate and communicate and work together to elevate the SCO and open up another decade of development and cooperation of SCO. India for the first time hosted any such high-level SCO meet since joining the bloc in 2017.