Dehradun Declares School Holiday Amid Orange Alert for Heavy Rainfall

DEHRADUN: In a proactive move to ensure the safety of students and staff, the Dehradun district administration has declared a one-day holiday for all educational institutions on Tuesday, September 1. The order mandates the closure of all government, private, and non-government schools—ranging from classes 1 to 12—as well as all Anganwadi centres across the district.

The decision was formally announced by the District Magistrate, who serves as the Chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA). The directive, issued late on August 31, follows a severe weather warning from the meteorological department.

Precautionary Measures Amid Orange Alert

The administration’s decision comes in response to an ‘Orange’ weather alert, which warns of heavy to very heavy rainfall, intense lightning, and localized spells of extremely heavy precipitation over the next 24 hours. Given the heightened risk of untoward incidents during such adverse weather conditions, officials have prioritized disaster mitigation by keeping campuses empty.

“The Chief Education Officer and the District Programme Officer have been strictly directed to ensure full compliance with this order across the entire district,” an official statement confirmed.

Rising Water Levels in the Ganga

The heavy rainfall is not limited to the city; the surrounding hilly regions of the Garhwal division are also seeing significant weather activity. Consequently, the water level of the Ganga river in Rishikesh has begun to rise.

While the Central Water Commission has noted that current water levels remain within the normal range and are still below the designated warning mark, authorities are not taking any chances. Security measures have been bolstered at major pilgrimage sites, including Triveni Ghat, Muni Ki Reti, and Lakshman Jhula.

Teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Water Police, and various disaster relief units have been deployed to monitor the riverbanks. Local authorities are actively using loudspeaker announcements to advise tourists, devotees, and residents to exercise extreme caution if they venture near the ghats.

As of now, the closure of Dehradun schools and Anganwadi centres is a one-day precautionary measure. The administration continues to monitor the situation closely, and parents are advised to stay updated through official district channels regarding any extensions or further developments.

(With inputs from ANI)