CHANDIGARH: Keeping in view the unabated intense cold wave in the Northern region, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday announced to exempt the children studying in class I to V from  attending classes in  all  the Government and Private Primary Schools  of the State for a week from Friday onwards.

     
According to a spokesman of the Punjab Government an announcement to this effect was made by the Chief Minister at Amritsar during an interaction with the media persons after the inauguration of Guru Ramdas Centre for Emergency, Trauma and Multi-specialty Block of the local Medical College. 

         
Badal promptly directed the State Chief Secretary to issue necessary instructions in this regard.  The decision has been taken in the larger public interest to save the children studying in these schools in class I toV from the onslaught of biting cold as the mercury had  constantly fallen considerably over last one and half month.

The spokesman, however clarified that the teachers would be reporting to the school  as usual and would continue to undertake the teaching work from class VI onwards.  Likewise, the clerical staff would also be reporting to the schools as per the routine schedule, the spokesman added.