Closure of schools; District Collectors empowered to take decision amid rising heat wave conditions

In response to the intensifying summer heat across Odisha, the state government has taken a significant step by authorizing district Collectors to independently decide on school holidays based on local weather conditions. This announcement was made on Tuesday by the Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management, Suresh Pujari, who stated that district administrations have now been empowered to act swiftly and contextually in the interest of student safety.

Highlighting the flexibility provided, Minister Pujari said, “District Collectors have been authorized to take decisions outside the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) depending on the severity of the heat wave in their respective regions. If a Collector feels the situation demands it, they are free to declare holidays for schools without waiting for a state-wide directive.”

Odisha Govt Monitoring Situation

The minister also informed that the Odisha government is closely monitoring the rise in temperature and that the Chief Minister will conduct a comprehensive review of the heat wave situation across Odisha very soon.

“In the next day or two, a high-level discussion will be held, following which more detailed guidelines will be issued,” Pujari added.
This move comes amid growing concerns from parents, teachers, and school management regarding students’ health and safety during peak summer hours.

 With many districts already witnessing soaring temperatures, the state’s decentralized approach is expected to allow faster and more effective responses to local weather conditions.

Educational institutions and local administrations have welcomed this decision, seeing it as a practical and timely intervention in the face of unpredictable and extreme summer weather.