Bhubaneswar: Reopening of schools (both private and government) after summer holidays have been postponed in four districts of Odisha in view of the prevailing heatwave conditions, the district administrations informed on Tuesday.
Schools across Sambalpur and Jharsuguda districts will reopen on June 22 instead of June 21 and classes in both these districts will be conducted from 6.30 am to 10 am till June 24. While schools will function at usual timings from June 26 onwards in Sambalpur, the district education office, Jharsuguda, said that any change in the schedule will be intimated later. The Sambalpur administration further informed that midday meal will be served between 9.30 am and 10 am on these days.
Similarly, schools in Sundargarh will reopen on June 23 and have morning classes from 6.30 am up to 10 am till June 24. Classes will be held as usual thereafter. The timings may further be changed, taking into consideration any change in the weather condition, the order added.
Schools in Bargarh will also reopen on June 23. They have morning classes till June 24 and run as usual thereafter.
Notably, the state government had asked collectors of seven districts – Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Angul, Sonepur and Balangir – to either switch to morning classes or extend holidays amid scorching heat.
All schools in other districts will reopen on June 21 as per the earlier announcement.
While the IMD has said that conditions are favourable for southwest monsoon’s advancement to the state in two to three days, Sundargarh was the hottest at 44.8 degree Celsius on Monday followed by Jharsuguda (41.6), Rourkela (40.8), Sambalpur, Titlagarh and Jajpur at 40.5 degree Celsius and Hirakud at 40.1 degree Celsius.
Till 2.30 pm, three places in the state recorded 40°C and above with Jharsuguda being the hottest at 40.8°C followed by Sambalpur (40.4°C), Hirakud (40°C), Chandbali 38.2°C and Bhubaneswar (37.6°C) amid heatwave warning for a few places in Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh and Balangir.
