VISAKHAPATNAM: HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao on Monday declared holidays for schools in the State from June 19 to June 21 in view of rising temperatures. As per the minister’s advice, Adityanath Das, special chief secretary, issued orders to the school education department to announce three days general holidays to all government, ZP, MP, model and aided schools in the state.
After a couple of spells brought brief respite from scorching summer, the State has been witnessing temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius since last week. Visakhapatnam city, for the first time this season, on Sunday, recorded 41.4 degree Celsius, which was the highest this summer. There are reports of students suffering sunstrokes. The meteorology department also warned of heat wave and high temperature conditions for another three days. Keeping this in view, the minister warned of stringent action, including cancellation of recognition, against schools if they hold classes for three days from Tuesday.
A Class VI student from a private school in China Waltair died of fever, which was reportedly aggravated by sunstroke on Sunday. The 12-year-old, Sagar Gupta, had been suffering from fever and other health problems for two days last week and died on Sunday. DEO Lingeswara Reddy said he would talk to medical officials to ascertain the cause of the boy’s death. However, health officials did not confirm whether the death was due to sunstroke.