Tripura Govt declares six-day holiday for schools amidst heat wave 

By  Firstdespatch Desk   Apr 17, 2023

Agartala, April 17 (FD) Tripura government has declared a six-day holiday for all government and government-aided schools starting April 18, considering the health impact of the ongoing heat wave with temperatures crossing 40 degree Celsius. 
The announcement was made by the Department of Information and Cultural Affairs (ICA), and the state government has also appealed to private schools to follow suit. 

An official of the Meteorological department here informed indianexpress.com that the maximum and minimum temperature of the day hovered around 38 and 27.8 degree Celsius on Monday while the mercury registered a maximum of 38.9 degree and 25.7 degree Celsius respectively yesterday.
"We have predictions of similar weather conditions and temperature between 38 and 26 degree Celsius tomorrow", the official said.
As per reports from the local meteorological department, the highest temperature was registered at 39.3 degree Celsius on April 14 and 15.
Though the government has declared school holidays due to "heat wave", the meteorological office has denied having any heat wave in the state yet and said, "This is not a heat wave from Meteorological criteria yet. 
There are several criteria like minimum 40 degree Celsius temperature, 5 degree temperature variation is needed to declare a heat wave. Technically, we have dry and hot weather with low humidity".
The official explained Tripura usually has 'hot weather season' during the months of March, April and May.
"Temperature is usually high in these months since southerly wind can't settle properly and westerlies dominate during these months causing hot weather", he said.
Earlier in 1960, the highest temperature was registered in Tripura at 42.2 degree Celsius in May and 41.5 degree Celsius in April. In 1979, 40.2 degree Celsius was recorded in June among other high temperatures recorded in the state till now.
The state has over 4,400 government and government-aided schools. FD PD JK