Raipur: The Chhattisgarh government on Wednesday announced extension of summer vacations in schools following the unabated heat wave across the state and an acute drinking water crisis.

The education department said in a letter that the school summer vacations, which began April 25 and were scheduled to end June 15, would now be extended till June-end. Now all government-run and government-aided schools will re-open on July 1.

The education department said the summer vacations had to be extended because of the scorching heat and severe drinking water crisis. The majority of hand pumps installed in schools had run dry as the water level had gone down considerably.

Usually the state shows improvement in heat wave conditions during the second week of June but this year the mercury is still hovering upwards of 44 degrees Celsius. The capital Raipur and the industrial cities of Bhilai, Korba and Raigarh are the hottest as the temperature has been static at 46 degrees Celsius for the past one month.

The worst sufferers are the working class. Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Government Hospital, the largest hospital in Raipur is receiving at least 35 new patients every day affected by heat stroke. IANS