Punjab: Schools up to class 10 will be closed from January 8-14 due to severe cold, says CM Mann

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], January 7 (ANI): Schools in Punjab will be again going on a winter break starting Monday given the severe cold conditions in the state, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced on Sunday.
Earlier, Punjab school winter vacations were between December 14 to 31, 2023.
"Keeping in view the severe cold, it has been decided to have holiday from January 8 to January 14 in all the government and private schools of Punjab up to class 10," Mann said in a post on 'X'.
"In view of inclement weather conditions in the region, CM @BhagwantMann has ordered that all government, government aided and private schools in state will remain close from January 8-14. CM said that in larger interests of school going students, this order was necessitated," the Chief Minister's Office said in a post on 'X'.
The decision comes close on the heels of Delhi announcing winter break for students from Nursery to Class 5 for the next five days.
"Schools in Delhi will remain closed for the next 5 days due to the prevailing cold weather conditions, for students from Nursery to Class 5," Delhi Education Minister Atishi posted on 'X'.
The Delhi government, in the previous order, extended the winter break till January 10 in all the government-aided and unaided recognised private schools of the national capital territory (NCT) in light of 'extreme cold waves and IMD's yellow alert'. However, hours after the issuance, the Delhi government retracted that order pertaining to the extension of winter vacation in schools within the national capital.
A cold to severe cold day was the state of the weather in Delhi, parts of East Rajasthan, northwest Rajasthan, Haryana and in isolated pockets over Punjab amid the unavailability of sunlight.
The maximum temperatures recorded at various stations displayed a significant departure from the normal range for this time of year.
Cold to severe cold conditions are likely to continue over Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan during the next day and a significant decrease thereafter, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Maximum temperatures are in the range of 9-12°C over many parts of Punjab and Haryana; and in the range of 13-16 °C over north Rajasthan, Delhi, northwest Madhya Pradesh and some parts of Uttar Pradesh. It is below normal by 4-9°C over these areas.
Minimum temperatures are in the range of 6-15°C over Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, northwest Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. Today, the lowest minimum temperature of 2.0°C was reported at Sikar (East Rajasthan).
As per IMD, Northwest and Central India are likely to receive a fresh spell of rainfall with thunderstorms or hailstorms from January 8 to January 10.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Chief Minister thanked Governor Banwari Lal Purohit for giving his assent to three key bills passed by the state assembly and he hoped that the Governor would give his assent to other pending bills as well.
"Chief Minister @BhagwantMann profusely thanked Governor Banwari Lal Purohit for according assent to three key bills passed by the state assembly. CM also expressed hope that the Governor will also give his assent to the remaining pending bills very soon," the Chief Minister's Office said in a post on 'X'. (ANI)