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New Delhi, May 8 (UNI) In view of the severe heat wave conditions, Delhi Education Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely today ordered closure of all government and government-aided schools in the national capital with immediate effect.

Private schools had also been immediately rpt immediately advised by the Directorate of Education to close so that the students do not suffer from heat stroke or dehydration, an official statement said.

Mr Lovely said the loss of teaching hours due to preponement of the summer vacation would be appropriately compensated by the school management when the schools re-opened after the summer vacation in first week of July.

However, the order would not affect any remedial/special coaching classes or compartment examination or holiday classes pre-arranged during the period, it added.

The schools earlier were to close on May 12.

A severe heat wave had been tormenting Delhiites for nearly a week with the maximum temperature hovering close to 45 degrees Celcius.

In fact, the last three days have witnessed the mercury touching a new high for May. The temperature of 44.5 degrees Celcius on Saturday was the highest for the month of May in the last five years.

The last time the mercury touched such high levels in the month of May was in 2002 when the maximum temperature rose to 46 degrees Celcius on May 19, 2002, and touched 45 degrees Celsius on May 10 and May 12 the same year.

The highest temperature in May had been recorded at 47.2 degrees Celcius on May 29, 1944.

UNI IP AK KN1940