Parents and heads of educational institutions welcomed the government’s decision to close all schools for a week. Kalpana Devi, whose daughter studies at Shiksha Niketan, said she would not have sent her child to school anyway. “Even at 8.30 am, the skin burns from the impact of the sun and one can imagine how difficult it is for kids.”

Sister Annie, headmistress of St Mary’s School, said the past week had been very difficult for her students. “Several children in the primary section took ill last Thursday and Friday and we had to call their parents,” she said.

Joseph Thelekatt of Don Bosco High School said the decision to close schools was justified, but warned that the academic schedule of students of Classes IX and X would be affected. Anjana Hazarika, principal of the Kendriya Vidyalaya at Khanapara, said her institution would remain open from 7 am to 11 am despite the government’s directive to suspend classes. “ We cannot close the school unless a decision is taken at our headquarters. Pre-primary and primary classes have been suspended for a week, but students of higher classes will have to attend school.”