Patna, Dec. 12: Students at a few schools attended classes as usual today despite the district administration's order last evening to suspend classes for up to Standard I till December 15.
For example, students of Mount Carmel High School's junior wing were forced to attend school because the annual day of the junior wing is to be held on December 14 and 15.
School principal Sister Serena told The Telegraph the event cannot be rescheduled.
"All preparations are complete for the gala event of the junior wing. Students came for rehearsal of the function around 10am and dispersed by 3pm. They only attended one or two classes," she said.
Smita Singhania of Patliputra Colony, whose daughter studies in upper kindergarten, said the school should reschedule the function. "Even around 10am, the temperature is cold enough to make a kid fall sick. If it's only for practice, then the school should call the students after 11am."
Patna was chilly today with the maximum temperature around 18ºC, six degrees below normal. The minimum touched 12ºC this morning.
Other schools that were open for classes up to Standard I included Jesus and Mary Academy, DAV BSEB, and Maryward Kindergarten School.
DAV BSEB principal V.S. Ojha said the district administration order came too late on Sunday evening.
"The school administration sent text messages to all parents in the morning, but many of the students turned up as unit tests were scheduled to begin from today. Classes were held today. But they will remain suspended till December 15 and new exam dates will be sent to the parents' mobile numbers," he said.
District magistrate (DM) Sanjay Agarwal had also directed schools to begin classes from Standard II to Standard VIII after 10am and the rest after 9am. The DM said schools that did not abide by the directive today had assured compliance from tomorrow.
"Schools claimed that they got the message late evening. From tomorrow, if any school violates the order, the district administration would take strict action. The administration would send a showcause notice under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant)," said Agarwal.
The primary wing of Don Bosco Academy has decided to advance its winter vacation for Montessori to Class III students because of the cold. School vice-principal Eric De Rozario said: "We have sent message to parents of students up to Class III that the school will be closed from today till January 9. Only students of classes II and III, whose examinations are scheduled tomorrow, will come at 10am but there will be no classes. After writing their papers, the students will go back home. The decision on vacation was taken after we received requests from parents."
Weather watch
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin today said: "Cold day to severe cold day conditions is very likely to continue at few places over Bihar during the next two days. Dense to very dense fog may occur at a few places in Bihar in the next two days."
Visibility in Patna at 1pm on Monday was 500m.
"The reason behind the chill was the thin gap between the maximum and minimum temperatures," said a weatherman, adding that the northwesterly winds coming from Jammu and Kashmir had pushed up the intensity of cold in Bihar.
The IMD attributed the western disturbance to an upper air cyclonic circulation over north Pakistan and neighbourhood at a height of 3.1km above mean sea level. The induced upper air cyclonic circulation over Punjab and Haryana, extending up to 1.5km above mean sea level, has been bringing chilly winds to northern and eastern India.
