Odisha government announces summer vacation for school students from April 25

Amidst scorching temperatures sweeping across Odisha, the state government took decisive action on Sunday, April 21, 2024, by announcing an early summer vacation for school students starting April 25. The move comes in response to the prevailing intense heatwave conditions gripping the region, with temperatures soaring to alarming levels.

In an official press statement released on Sunday, the Odisha government declared that all schools, including government, government-aided, and private institutions, will remain closed from April 25 until further notice. Additionally, the government has implemented morning classes from 6:30 am to 10:30 am for three days, from April 22 to April 24, to mitigate the impact of the oppressive heat on students and teachers alike.

This announcement follows an earlier directive from the state government, which ordered the closure of all schools in Odisha for three days from April 18 to April 20 due to the severe heatwave situation. During this period, temperatures soared above 45 degrees Celsius in various parts of the state, prompting concerns for the well-being of residents.

According to reports, the highest temperature recorded in towns across Odisha, including Jharsuguda and Keonjhar, reached 43.6 degrees Celsius by 2:30 PM on Sunday. Several other areas also experienced sweltering conditions, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. Among the places recording such high temperatures were Hirakud (41.8°C), Rourkela (41.8°C), Sambalpur (41.7°C), Bhubaneswar (41.6°C), Chandbali (41.6°C), and Balasore (40.5°C), as confirmed by IMD scientist Umashankar Das.