West Bengal government has urged all schools, colleges, educational institutes, and universities, including private institutes to remain closed next week due to severe heat wave conditions.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Sunday, said all educational institutions in the State will remain closed next week (April 17-April 22) in view of the ‘severe’ heatwave conditions. An official notification in this regard is expected to be announced soon.

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It is to be noted that the State government had earlier on April 13 preponed the summer vacation in State-run schools. Summer vacations in government schools across West Bengal will now begin from May 2, instead of May 24, as per the earlier schedule. The announcement closely followed the meteorological departments’ alert on the expected rise in temperatures in the districts of Bankura, Purulia, Paschim Medinipur, Paschim Bardhaman, and Birbhum.

The State has been recording day temperatures in excess of 40 degrees Celsius in most places and the MeT department has forecast that heatwave conditions will continue till April 19.