School timings rescheduled in Odisha as mercury soars

Odisha government has rescheduled the school timings in view of the soring mercury level and the prevailing heatwave across the state, an official notification said on March 31.

In a letter to the authorities concerned, the School and Mass Education (SME) department said the order would be applicable to all educational institutions like government schools, government-aided schools and privately-managed institutions to mitigate the heatwave situation in the state during the summer.

As per the latest guidelines issued by the SME department, morning classes will be held for Classes I-VIII from 6.30 to 10.30am from April 2. Students of Classes IX-XII will attend school from 7am to 11.30am.

A searing heatwave engulfed some districts in the western parts of the state for the second consecutive day on March 31 as hot dry air intensified from the northwest, a MET official said.

The second spell of a sweltering heatwave in the summer prevailed at some places in Boudh, Bolangir, Bargarh, Kalahandi and Subarnapur districts, the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre said.

At least eight weather stations logged a maximum of 40 degrees Celsius or above. Titlagarh in Bolangir district recorded 42.2 degrees, the highest in the state.

The air temperature can become fatal to the human body when exposed to a heatwave, according to the India Meteorological Department.

The MET has advised people to avoid heat exposure and take precautionary measures while going outside from noon to 3pm in some areas. People should wear light clothes and avoid going outside unless necessary during the afternoon, it said.