The Bareilly district administration has ordered the closure of schools for students up to Class 8 for three days in view of the prevailing cold wave and dense fog conditions. The decision was taken on Wednesday as severe winter weather has been disrupting normal life in Bareilly and nearby areas over the past few days.
According to officials, all government, government-aided and private schools catering to Classes 1 to 8 will remain closed from December 18 to December 20. The order has been issued to ensure the safety of young students amid poor visibility and plunging temperatures caused by persistent fog and cold winds.
Basic Siksha Adhikari Dr Vinita stated that the directive was issued following instructions from District Magistrate Avinash Singh. She cautioned that strict action will be taken against any school found violating the closure order. However, she clarified that schools where examinations have already been scheduled may conduct them as per the pre-decided examination programme.
Bareilly and surrounding regions remained enveloped in a dense layer of fog, with no sunshine reported on Wednesday. The situation was further aggravated by icy winds, intensifying the chill and significantly reducing visibility during morning hours. This led to slower traffic movement and increased the risk of road accidents across the district.
Weather conditions in Bareilly have been unusually harsh, with Tuesday recorded as the coldest day in the district in the last 10 years. The maximum temperature dropped sharply to 16.3 degrees Celsius, highlighting the severity of the ongoing cold spell.
Additional District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) Santosh Kumar Singh said that the India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for dense fog for the next three days. He added that cold winds blowing from the hills are likely to further worsen the weather conditions in the region.
In light of the forecast, the district administration has advised residents to avoid unnecessary travel and take special precautions for children and the elderly, as there is no immediate indication of relief from the intense cold and foggy conditions.