Odisha: Morning classes in all schools begin today

Bhubaneswar: Due to rising temperatures, morning classes for Class I to XII students in Odisha began on Tuesday.

Collectors, on the other hand, have been given the authority to change the schedule of morning classes based on the weather in their districts. The schools have also been asked to provide drinking water and other necessary facilities.

The School and Mass Education Department has also rescheduled the time when pensions are distributed to beneficiaries of various social security schemes from 7.30 a.m. to 10.30 a.m.

While the maximum temperature in the state reached 40 degrees Celsius for the first time this year the day before, Bhubaneswar recorded 32 degrees Celsius by 8.30 a.m. today.

Notably, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a temperature increase in several parts of the country over the next five days. "A significantly higher number of heatwave days are predicted over parts of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, and Haryana," said Mrutyunjay Mahapatra, Director General of the IMD.

According to forecasters, the normal temperature in many parts of the state could reach 40 degrees Celsius by April 12. "There has been a decrease in thunderstorm activity, which will result in an increase in day temperature by 2 to 3 degrees at some locations over the next two to three days," said Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre Scientist Umasankar Das to the media.