In view of the severe heat wave conditions in the state, the Punjab government has announced summer holidays in all government, private, aided, and recognised schools from May 21 to June 30.

An order to this effect has been issued by the school education department.

On Saturday, the department had changed the school timings, deciding to keep them open from 7am to 12 noon. It has, however, now decided to declare early summer holidays.

Heat wave conditions are prevailing in several districts of the state. Bathinda was the hottest on Sunday with a maximum temperature of 46.4⁰C.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) Chandigarh director AK Singh said there was no immediate relief in sight. “This is a very unusual weather pattern. We never had to issue continuously five-to-seven-day red alert warnings in Punjab over the past few years,” he said. According to the IMD officials, it is the districts of west Malwa — particularly Fazilka, Muktsar and Bathinda — that are likely to be worst hit by the heat wave over the next five days.