Cold Wave Forces School Closures Across Madhya Pradesh; Indore, Mandla Among Worst Hit

Severe cold conditions and an intensifying cold wave have disrupted daily life across several districts of Madhya Pradesh, prompting district administrations to order temporary closure of schools to safeguard students’ health.

In Indore, District Collector Shivam Verma has announced a three-day holiday for students from Classes 1 to 8 in all government and private schools. The order applies uniformly to institutions affiliated with CBSE, ICSE and other education boards. The decision has been taken as a precautionary measure in view of the sharp drop in temperatures during early morning and night hours, which poses health risks to young children.

According to the official directive, schools catering to Classes 9 to 12 will continue to function as per their regular schedule, but administrations have been instructed to ensure adequate arrangements to protect senior students from the cold. The district administration has warned that strict action will be taken against schools violating the order. Weather officials have indicated that cold conditions in Indore are likely to persist over the next few days.

Mandla Declares Holiday Amid Dense Fog and Plunging Temperatures

Mandla district has also been severely affected by the cold wave. On Monday morning, the minimum temperature dropped by 1.8 degrees Celsius to 5.8 degrees, accompanied by dense fog across the region. Visibility in several areas fell below 50 metres, causing major inconvenience to commuters.

Considering the prevailing weather conditions, the Mandla education department has declared a holiday for students from Nursery to Class 8 on January 5 and 6. Authorities said the decision was taken to prevent children from exposure to extreme cold and hazardous travel conditions.

‘Cold Day’ Conditions Persist

On Sunday, Mandla experienced ‘cold day’ conditions throughout the day, with the minimum temperature recorded at 7.6 degrees Celsius and the maximum at 22.9 degrees Celsius. Dense fog lingered until nearly 11 a.m., and the absence of sunlight throughout the day intensified the chill, slowing down normal life across the district.

District officials have advised residents to take necessary precautions as the cold wave is expected to continue in the coming days, with further advisories to be issued based on weather updates.