Early Puja holidays for Bengal schools as overnight rain leaves Kolkata flooded
After heavy rain and flooding in West Bengal, the state government declared early Puja holidays, shutting state-run schools and colleges from September 24
After several districts in West Bengal recorded heavy rainfall overnight, leading to massive flooding on Tuesday (September 23) morning, the state government declared Puja holidays in state-run educational institutions two days ahead of schedule.
On September 23, the education minister said that all state-run educational institutions would remain closed on September 24 and 25. Puja holidays are scheduled to begin from September 26.
Following up on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's appeal to stay off waterlogged roads to prevent accidents by electrocution and her instructions to declare holidays in schools or shift to online classes, Education Minister Bratya Basu declared holidays on September 24 and 25.
"An unprecedented calamity-like situation prevailed in the state. In keeping with the advice of the Chief Minister to offer relief to our students in the current situation and to pre-empt accidents, it was decided to keep all educational institutions closed tomorrow and the day after, that was, on September 24 and 25," Basu wrote on X.
Also Read: Heavy rain kills seven in Kolkata, cripples transport services
Teachers can work from home
Minister Bratya Basu urged all teachers and non-teaching staff of the government-run educational institutions to work from home to complete their urgent and unfinished tasks.
"Since the Durga Puja holidays are scheduled to start from September 26, effectively the vacation will start from tomorrow (Wednesday). I wish all happy Pujas. My deepest condolences remain with the next of kin of my fellow citizens who lost their lives in this calamity," the minister added.
Normal life in Kolkata and its surrounding areas came to a standstill on Tuesday as intense overnight rainfall triggered widespread flooding, bringing traffic, public transport, and daily activities to a grinding halt. The heavy rain claimed at least seven lives due to electrocution in the city.
Some parts of the city received over 330 mm of rain within a few hours, while most parts of the city and its suburbs received more than 250 mm of rain.
(With agency inputs)