Uttarakhand govt bars collection of school fees during 21-day nationwide lockdown

Uttarakhand Education Secretary R Meenakshi Sundaram on Wednesday directed all government and private schools in the state to collect tuition fees from students only after the situation, created by COVID-19 pandemic, normalises.

In a letter addressed to the District Magistrates, Sundaram noted that certain private schools were pressurising the parents to submit the tuition fees immediately. She said collecting fees at the time of lockdown is not right, and ordered to stop the process immediately.

"Orders are issued to stop the collection of fees by all the government and private schools under CBSE, ICSE or state boards. Fees should be collected once the situation normalises," she said.

Four people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Uttarakhand including one foreign national, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Wednesday. India has recorded over 600 positive cases of Coronavirus, which includes 43 foreign nationals. 10 people have lost their lives due to the disease.

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Life Insurance for healthcare professionals, media, police in Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Wednesday offered life insurance for those at the front line of the Coronavirus threat, including doctors, healthcare professionals, sanitation workers, media and police personnel.

Announcing this in the Uttarakhand Assembly which met after a long recess, Rawat said doctors, nurses, sanitation workers, paryavaran mitras, the media and the police were serving people at the risk of their own lives. Life insurance will be given to all falling into these categories as a gesture of gratitude, he said.

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Terming Coronavirus as a huge challenge before mankind, the CM appealed to people to stay at their homes during the 21-day countrywide lockdown. Asking people to show restraint and will power during the period, he further said social distancing is the only strategy which can help overcome the challenge posed by Coronavirus.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a nationwide lockdown in the entire country for three weeks, effective from Tuesday midnight to curtail the spread of Coronavirus. PM said "social distancing" is the only option to deal with the disease.

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(With inputs from ANI)

(Image: PTI)