District administrations across Jharkhand have taken swift action by ordering the closure of all schools in their jurisdictions for Friday and Saturday. This decision comes in direct response to a yellow alert for a cold wave issued by the Ranchi office of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for thirteen districts of the state.
IMD Issues Warning, Districts React
The IMD's alert, issued on Thursday, specifically covers the districts of Khunti, Ranchi, Gumla, Chatra, Garhwa, Palamu, Latehar, Lohardaga, Simdega, West Singhbhum, Ramgarh, Hazaribag, and Bokaro. Abhishek Anand, the head of the Ranchi IMD, explained the meteorological reason behind the alert. He stated that the cold wave situation is likely due to north-westerly winds prevailing in the lower tropospheric levels over Jharkhand, with fog expected during morning hours.
Official Orders and Specific Instructions
Following the alert, district magistrates moved quickly. Ranchi DC Manjunath Bhajantri ordered the suspension of classes from KG to Class XII in all government and private schools on both days. A notification from his administration clarified that the decision was taken in consideration of the IMD's warning.
However, the order for government schools includes a specific directive for staff. All teaching and non-teaching employees must mark their attendance on the e-Vidyavahini portal during the closure period and are expected to complete non-academic work.
Other districts, including Hazaribag and East Singhbhum, issued similar shutdown orders. East Singhbhum DC Karn Satyarthi added a note regarding examinations, stating that if any test is scheduled during this period, the concerned school would have the discretion to decide on the matter.
Plummeting Temperatures Across the State
The IMD's warning was backed by concrete data showing a significant dip in temperatures across Jharkhand on Thursday. Hazaribag recorded the state's lowest minimum temperature at 2.9°C. Other notable readings included Daltonganj at 3.4°C, Bokaro at 6.5°C, Chaibasa at 6.4°C, Ranchi at 8°C, and Jamshedpur at 8.4°C.
This recent cold spell extends an earlier period of closures. The state's department of school education and literacy had already directed all schools to remain shut until the preceding Thursday, making this a prolonged break for students due to harsh weather conditions.
