Nor Mohamed said work started on Thursday, the first day of the Chinese New Year.

State Tourism Development and Environment Committee chairman Teng Chang Yeow has said recently that the DOE had lifted the stop-work order on Feb 4.

Teng had said that the order was lifted after DOE officers inspected tracking equipment, which was installed on the barges that carry the dredged mud.

Nor Mohamed said the groundworks for the Penang Outer Ring Road and the monorail would begin by the end of the year.

He said the Government was studying the final alignment of the PORR and tender would be called after the works were completed.

"The project is now in the final designing stage," he told newsmen after presenting RM25,000 in aid to St Nicholas Home here yesterday.

He said the alignment for the monorail was also ready.

He said all the three projects would be completed on schedule.

St Nicholas Home executive director Ooi Chee Khoon said the centre wants to buy a van to replace the existing one, which was in bad condition.

He thanked ECM Libra Foundation trustee Datuk Seri Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan for donating a van to replace a second van, which was also in bad shape.

Ooi said the home hopes to raise RM75,000 to buy the van through a fund-raising concert at the Wawasan Open University on Feb 24.

Admission to the concert is by way of donation of RM50 to the home.

Those interested in donating can contact Matthew at 017-2194158 or the home at 04-2290800.