Punjab is currently facing very strong heat conditions and the situation is expected to get worse in the next few days as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a 5 day heatwave warning for the state and according to the forecast temperatures in several districts may reach between 45°C and 47°C.
The weather is expected to remain dry with strong hot winds blowing from the northwest and this combination is making the heat more intense and uncomfortable for people across the state and in districts like Bathinda, Fazilka, Muktsar, Mansa, Faridkot, Patiala and Ludhiana are likely to face the most severe conditions.
Bathinda has already crossed 43°C and other cities like Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala are also seeing a steady rise in temperature every day and weather experts say there is almost no chance of rain in the coming days which means there will be no relief from the heat anytime soon.
Because of this extreme weather concerns are now rising about schools continuing to function normally and many parents are worried that children are getting exposed to strong sunlight during peak afternoon hours which can lead to problems like dehydration, tiredness, headaches and even heatstroke in some cases.
A large number of parents are now asking the government to either declare early summer holidays or change school timings so that students are not forced to travel or attend classes during the hottest part of the day. Experts suggest avoiding going out between 12 PM and 4 PM drinking plenty of water, wearing light cotton clothes and keeping children and elderly people indoors as much as possible.
Daily life is also getting affected and people are avoiding unnecessary travel during daytime and markets are seeing less crowd in the afternoon while farmers are also worried as continuous dry heat is increasing water demand and putting stress on crops.
Ravi Sharma a father from Jalandhar said “My son goes to school at 12 noon and it is very risky in this heat so the government should think about at least giving holidays for a few days or change timings.”
Simran Kaur a mother and a teacher from Jalandhar also shared similar sentiments said “Children are coming tired and dehydrated and it is very difficult for them to focus in such heat” and also suggested that morning only classes would be much safer right now.”
Harpreet Singh a local shopkeeper says “Afternoons are almost empty in the market and even customers avoid coming out so if adults are struggling then children should definitely not be in schools at this time.”
Another parent Neha Arora said “Every year heat is getting worse and we really need proper summer break planning as safety of kids should come first.”
With temperatures expected to rise further in coming next few days the situation remains serious and people across Punjab are now looking toward the state government for quick action and the demand for school holidays or revised timings is becoming stronger as heat is expected to reach up to 47°C.
