Uttar Pradesh schools shut until January 1 over cold spell

CM Adityanath has said the safety of children is paramount during the cold wave, and any negligence in this regard will not be tolerate

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday ordered all schools till Class 12 to be shut until January 1 amid cold conditions in the state.

The CM has stated adequate arrangements for bonfires and blankets should be ensured at public places in every district. Adityanath has given special instructions to officials regarding the operation of night shelters, and to ensure that no person in the state should sleep in the open during the cold. (HT Archive)

The order applies to all ICSE, CBSE, and UP Board schools across the state, a government order said, adding that the CM has said the safety of children is “paramount”.

In view of the conditions, he has also directed senior government officials to undertake on-the-ground visits and ensure, adequate arrangements for bonfires and blankets at public places in every district.

The CM has also given special instructions to officials regarding the operation of night shelters to ensure that no person in the state should sleep in the open during the cold.

All necessary facilities, including bedding, blankets, and cleanliness, should be ensured at all night shelters. “Officials should ensure that the needy receive timely relief materials and shelter,” said the official statement.

In its national weather bulletin on Sunday, the IMD said dense to very dense fog conditions are very likely to continue over Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh and west Uttar Pradesh till December 31 and east Uttar Pradesh till January 1 – with reduction thereafter.