BHERIGANGA (SURKHET), May 31: Schools in Birendranagar are to be closed from coming Sunday in view of the increasing heat in the city. 

Private and Boarding Schools Organisation of Nepal (PABSON), the umbrella organization of private and boarding schools in the country, decided to close the schools for a week beginning June 2, citing the scorching heat.

The maximum temperature in Birendranagar was around 40 degrees Celsius today. 

PABSON’s Surkhet chapter President Ved Prakash Dhakal said that they made a collective decision to shut the institutional schools for a week, as the extreme heat can affect the children's health. 

Birendranagar Municipality also plans to close the community schools within the municipality in view of the increasing heat, said Dhirendra Sharma Lamsal, chief of the municipality's education section. He, however, added that an official decision has not been taken on this as yet.

"We will close the community schools within the municipality from Sunday if the temperature goes up like this as it has been at present. However, the schools will not be closed if there is respite from extreme heat with the occurrence of rain," he added. 

Immunization programme affected 

Meanwhile, the immunization campaign against polio that is on since May 26 is likely to be affected due to the school closure. The campaign is scheduled to run until June 8. The immunization program is being conducted in the local units of Surkhet under two phases in coordination with the schools. 

The program will be run in Birendranagar, Gurbhakot and Panchapuri municipalities, and in Simta, Barahatal and Chaukune rural municipalities on June 4-7.

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