Schools to be closed from May 1, colleges from May 9 for summer vacation

Reported by Chinmaya Dehury
Bhubaneswar, April 26:

All the schools in Odisha will be closed for summer vacation from May 1 in view of the rising mercury levels across the state, an official announcement said here today.

The decision was taken at a high-level review meeting convened by chief secretary JK Mohapatra and attended by all the secretaries, to review the measures taken to tackle the searing heat that had thrown life out of gear across the state.

Chief secretary Mohapatra said college authorities will be directed to close their institutions by May 9 and complete the practical examinations and other examinations by May 3.

The meeting also decided to restrict plying of non-AC buses between 11 am and 3 pm and keep first aid and adequate drinking water inside the buses for the passengers.

“The non-AC buses can not ply from 11 am to 3 pm and each of them have to keep first-aid box and drinking water ready. However, AC buses can play during this period,” Mohapatra said.

The government has also rescheduled working hours forlabourers dwith strict instructions not to engage them during noon hours.

Special Relief Commissioner Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra said the energy department has been instructed not to resort to power cuts in the season while the rural development department and municipalities have been directed to provide adequate drinking water in rural and urban areas respectively.

He also informed that ACs and Air Coolers will be provided in 1981 government hospitals for the comfort of the indoor patients.

The SRC said although there are recent reports 13 persons dying due to sunstroke, only one death has been confirmed so far. All district collectors have been instructed to give inquiry reports within 36 hours of such deaths being reported, he informed.

Last year, 16 people had died due to sunstroke as per official records although the unofficial figure was much higher.