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Summer Vacation
The national capital on Saturday recorded a minimum temperature of 32.4 degree Celsius, four notches above the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department. The weather department has predicted mainly clear sky and heat wave conditions with strong surface winds during the day. The humidity was 38 per cent at 8.30 am. The maximum temperature is likely to settle around 44 degrees Celsius, it stated. The Air Quality Index (AQI) of the national capital was recorded in the "moderate" category with a reading of 185 at 9 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe".
The Chhattisgarh government on Wednesday decided to extend the summer vacation of schools till June 26 in view of the scorching heat, an official said. Schools were scheduled to reopen on June 16. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has directed officials concerned to extend the summer vacation to ensure the safety of children in view of high temperatures and the heat wave, the official said. The school education department will issue a directive in this regard, he added. The Met department in Raipur on Tuesday predicted the occurrence of a heat wave at isolated pockets in central Chhattisgarh for the next four days. It had also forecast thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty wind at 30-40 kmph at isolated places in the state over the next four days.
The summer vacation in West Bengal government-run and aided schools will begin from May 2 instead of the earlier schedule of May 24 in the wake of sweltering heat across the state, a senior official said on Wednesday. An official notification in this regard is, however, yet to be issued. "Due to the intense heat, a decision has been taken to reschedule the summer vacations. It will now start from May 2. The decision was taken on the insistence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee," the official told PTI. Later, when Education Minister Bratya Basu was asked by reporters about the development, he replied in the affirmative. According to the India Meteorological Department, heat wave conditions will persist in West Bengal during the weekend. The districts of Bankura, Purulia, Paschim Medinipur, Paschim Bardhaman and Birbhum will experience hot and dry weather and the temperature may increase by 2-4 degrees, the Met Department said.