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As a cold wave grips northern India and temperatures drop, the Patna District Magistrate on Friday issued orders mandating that all schools remain open only from 9 am to 4.30 pm. However, the notification added that classes with board and pre-board examinations will continue to follow their usual schedules.
The orders will remain in effect from December 19 to 25, the notification read. This comes as cold weather has enveloped several parts of North India, including Bihar's neighbouring Uttar Pradesh and the national capital. Residents have reported low visibility, difficulty with everyday chores, and extreme weather conditions. The national capital, Delhi, woke up to a thick blanket of fog across the city, with poor air quality worsening the already grave conditions. On Wednesday, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced a 50% work-from-home policy, implemented to provide relief amid worsening smog. On Thursday, parts of Uttar Pradesh experienced extreme cold. Kanpur saw significant delays in train schedules. A passenger waiting at the station told ANI, "I am going to Kota. My train was scheduled to arrive at 8 am, but due to delays, it will arrive at 11 am. There's so much cold here. We are having lots of problems here." Cities such as Prayagraj and Gorakhpur remained engulfed in fog, dropping visibility. As a result, people gathered around bonfires to keep warm. On the other hand, in Agra, the thick blanket of fog completely obscured the Taj Mahal. Meanwhile, in the district of Moradabad, people urged for measures to be taken in response to extreme weather conditions. A local said, "Today it is so cold here. We witnessed fog in the early morning. I appeal to people to follow the government's guidelines... we are unable to see anything within 100 metres. School-going children are facing most problems..." As winter sets in, measures to increase efficiency and ease hardships are underway in various states across northern India. (ANI)
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