The Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued an advisory to the School Education and Higher Education Departments in light of the rising threat of a severe heatwave, recommending immediate measures to protect students and staff.

The PDMA has also sent the letter to commissioners and deputy commissioners across the province, urging them to take precautionary steps. The advisory stresses the need to revise school and college hours and to consider announcing summer vacations earlier than usual if the temperatures continue to rise dangerously.

The PDMA further instructed educational institutions to ensure the uninterrupted availability of clean and cool drinking water and advised that students be encouraged to wear light and loose-fitting clothing during the ongoing hot spell.

Officials warn that prolonged exposure to extreme heat can severely impact the health of children, especially in overcrowded and under-ventilated classrooms.

The advisory follows a forecast by the Met Office indicating above-normal temperatures in the coming weeks, heightening the urgency for preemptive action by local authorities and school administrations.

Also Read: PDMA Punjab issues heatwave guidelines as temperatures set to soar

On Tuesday, the PDMA Punjab issued comprehensive guidelines to relevant departments across the province. The directives came amid forecasts predicting a rise in temperature by 4 to 7 degrees Celsius this month.

According to the PDMA DG, major cities, plains, and particularly districts in south Punjab were likely to be affected by extreme heat. Deputy commissioners were directed to ensure the availability of heatwave protection facilities at public places.

In a preventive move, the School Education Department had been instructed to suspend all outdoor activities for children during peak heat hours. Farmers were to be educated on the potential impacts of the heatwave on crops, while awareness banners are to be placed at bus stands and railway stations.