New Delhi:
With an intense cold wave sweeping the city, Delhi government today ordered closure of
all schools in the capital till January 10.
While several schools in the city are yet to reopen following the winter vacations, some schools had reopened this week.
Minister for Education in the Delhi government Arvinder Singh Lovely said the mandatory order applies to both government and private schools.
He said the government will examine the situation at the end of the week. "For now, the schools have to remain closed till January 10, and the education department will review the situation on that day to give further orders," Lovely said at a press conference.
Plummeting mercury coupled with icy winds have been making lives difficult for the people of the capital.The cold winds blowing across the city for the past several days have
added to the chill in the city where at least three cold-related deaths have been reported since December 26.
The minimum temperature had dropped to 3.7 degrees Celsius on Tuesday while the maximum plunged to a mere 12.7 degrees, making it the coldest day of the season so far.
Things were no better on Wednesday as the residents of the capital woke up to another chilly morning with the minimum temperature remaining below the five degree Celsius mark.
The minimum on Wednesday was recorded at 4.2 degrees Celsius, three degrees below normal for this time of the year. According to the forecast of the weather department,
the cold wave is expected to continue. The minimum for Thursday is again likely to be around four degrees Celsius and the maximum is not likely to exceed 13 degrees.