The Odisha government Tuesday directed the closure of all schools and anganwadi centres from April 12 till April 16 in view of the heat wave situation in the state. Hours after returning from Japan, Patnaik chaired a review meeting with senior officers on the current heat wave condition and directed the closure of schools. The Met department has issued a heat wave warning throughout the state. As many as nine places in Odisha recorded temperatures above 40 degree Celsius Tuesday. The chief minister directed the authorities concerned to ensure the smooth supply of drinking water both in urban and rural areas with a special focus on pockets facing water scarcity. He also directed the energy department to ensure a continuous power supply to meet demands during heat wave conditions. Patnaik advised the administration to keep in touch with various professional Met agencies to collect information about the monsoon and prepare advanced planning accordingly.
