Chandigarh diary: All that is happening in the 'City of Beauty'

PGIMER to conduct survey on infection rate

The Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) will soon start a serological survey of those between the ages of two and 18 years to determine COVID-19 infection rate among children in Chandigarh. The expected sample size is around 2,500.

The samples will be checked for the presence of antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen. The test results would be declared within a month. As children have not been vaccinated, and given that a possible next wave of the pandemic is likely to affect children more than adults, the result of the survey will help understand the prevalence of antibodies in them.

LPG users can choose distributors of choice for refill

The Union government has decided to introduce refill booking portability for LPG consumers in Chandigarh. The city will be one of the five in the country where consumers will have a choice of deciding the distributor for a refill of their LPG cylinders. The other four cities are Coimbatore, Gurugram, Pune and Ranchi. Customers can change their distributor by visiting the web portal or the mobile app of the oil marketing company.

Using their registered login, customers can choose a distributor and opt for the porting of their LPG connection. Meanwhile, the distributor will have the option of contacting the customer to convince them not to leave. If the customer is convinced, they can withdraw the portability request within the stipulated time of three days.

High-tech garbage sorting centre opens

Chandigarh’s first material recovery facility-cum-garbage transfer station has been inaugurated at the 3BRD sewage treatment plant site in the Industrial Area, Phase II. The door-to-door waste collection vehicles would bring in segregated waste (dry and wet) to the facility, which has a dedicated space for sorting out recyclable items from the dry waste. What's left after the recovery of recyclable materials would then be transported to the compost plant in Sector 25, Dadu Majra. The construction of two more such facilities is underway 

Univ to provide free education to COVID orphans

Th Responding to the widespread personal and financial crisis caused by the Covid pandemic, the management of IEC University near Solan has decided to provide free education to students who have lost their sole earning parent to COVID-19.

Financial and academic background of the students will be considered while determining those who are eligible to be covered under the scheme. Students found eligible will have all their tuition expenses covered by the university to help ensure that they complete their education. The university will also support them in finding a suitable job upon the completion of the course.