Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Sunday announced the postponement of the Chief Minister’s public grievance hearing programme, scheduled to be held on Monday, owing to the prevailing severe heatwave conditions across the state. 

The General Administration and Public Grievance Department of Odisha made the announcement on Sunday through an official statement.

The department further stated that applicants who had registered online to present their grievances to the Chief Minister in person at the grievance cell on Monday are not required to register again.

“Those who had registered online to meet the Chief Minister on the said date need not register again for the next grievance hearing. The date of the next grievance hearing in Bhubaneswar will be communicated to them through newspapers,” the GA&PG Department said.

It is worth noting that Odisha is currently grappling with an intense heatwave, with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius in several parts of the state, including the capital, Bhubaneswar, significantly disrupting normal life.

As per reports, one of the major industrial hubs of Odisha, Jharsuguda, continued to top the list of cities recording the highest daytime temperatures in the state.

The mercury stood at 43.8 degrees Celsius in Jharsuguda at 2.30 p.m. on Sunday, marking the highest daytime temperature in the state, followed by Sambalpur at 42.8 degrees Celsius, Rourkela at 42.6 degrees Celsius, and Hirakud at 42.4 degrees Celsius.

The state capital, Bhubaneswar, recorded 34.4 degrees Celsius, while Keonjhar, Chandbali, and Balasore registered 39.6 degrees Celsius, 36.4 degrees Celsius, and 34.8 degrees Celsius, respectively, at 2.30 p.m. on Sunday.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), Bhubaneswar, has also predicted that there will be no large change in maximum temperature (day temperature) during the next two to three days and that thereafter the mercury would fall by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius over the districts of Odisha.

Notably, roads have been wearing a deserted look after 11 a.m., as people largely stayed indoors across the state to avoid the intense heatwave.

Following concerns over heatstroke incidents, the state government has also halted census work between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. in view of the safety of enumerators.

In view of the prevailing severe heatwave conditions across Odisha, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday announced early summer vacation for schools from April 27.