Bhubaneswar: As heatwave and humidity continued to prevail in many parts of the State, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has asked all Collectors to take decision on reopening of schools keeping climate in the district in view.
As per the direction, morning classes will be held from 6:30 AM till 10 AM up to June 20 if weather conditions are favourable and schools are allowed to open.
The Collectors can also declare a holiday for Class I to XII students of public, private and aided schools, if hot and humid weather conditions prevail in their respective districts. This directive will remain in force till June 20.
Following this instruction from the State Government, the Collectors of Khurda, Cuttack, Puri, Deogarh, Angul and Keonjhar districts have directed schools to open schools from tomorrow during morning hours.
Similarly, the schools will remain closed in some districts including Bargarh, Bhadrak and Ganjam districts. In Balasore district, the schools will remain closed for tomorrow and open on June 19 at morning hours. In Nabarangpur district, the schools have been closed down till June 22.
Meanwhile, the School and Mass Education Department has directed all headmasters to conduct school safety week as per schedule without involvement of children. Only in the presence of teachers and SMC, the activities can be conducted as also mentioned in the guideline, sources said.
Though monsoon had set over the state on June 8, its progress has been slow. The delay in the advancement of monsoon caused heat wave conditions in the interior districts and sultry weather in the coastal belt. The monsoon is currently active in Malkangiri and Koraput districts, sources said.
So far, the state has received 36.6 mm of rainfall against the expected 91.4 mm, which is a deficit of 42 per cent, the IMD said.
Hot and humid weather conditions may prevail at some places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, and Gajapati till June 19.
Heavy rainfall may occur at some places in Jharsuguda, Sambalpur and Bargarh districts on June 20, and Bolangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, and Kandhamal on June 21.
The day temperature may fall by 2-4 degrees Celsius at many places in the state after three days, the IMD said.