Schools In Odisha Reopen With Revised Timings Amid Rain, Slight Fall In Temp Forecast

Bhubaneswar: With India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) predicting a slight dip in the day temperature, schools across Odisha resumed morning classes with changed timings on Monday.

While morning classes from 7 am to 11.30 am were held on April 11, the Odisha government announced shutting down of all schools up to Class X for five days from April 12 in the wake of sudden rise in daytime temperature with intense heatwave conditions sweeping the state.

On April 15, a new notification was issued with revised timings for schools and colleges, which will start 30 minutes earlier than the existing schedule. The morning classes will now be held from 6.30 am to 11 am.

The School and Mass Education department has also advised educational institutions to take precautions for handling extreme temperature, including preparing glucose and ORS solutions for students, ensuring availability of drinking water, and limiting outdoor activities to prevent exposure to heatwave conditions.

“District collectors can change the timings of the school, if they feel as per the summer condition in their district. In view of the heatwave condition, schools must make proper arrangements of drinking water and other facilities,” the official notification added.

On Sunday, 22 places in the state recorded maximum temperature of 40 degree Celsius. Jharsuguda, the industrial town in western Odisha, was the hottest at 43 degree Celsius. The twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar continued to reel under 40 degree Celsius.

The MeT office has forecast light to moderate rain for several places in the state and issued yellow warning for thunderstorm and lightning till April 21 morning. The day temperature may witness a slight fall by 2-3°C during the next 3 days with no large change thereafter. “The day temperature is very likely to be 40°C and more and remain 2-3°C above normal at a few places in the state,” it added.