By IANS,
Bhubaneswar : Heat wave conditions in Orissa, that have already claimed 47 lives, have forced the state government to change working hours of its offices from Monday.
The state government Saturday ordered all its offices to work from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. without a lunch break till June 15 at all places in Orissa except Bhubaneswar, a state home department official told IANS.
The working hours of judicial courts will be guided by such orders as may be issued by the high court, he said.
The state home department issued a notification in this regard Saturday, he said.
Although some part of coastal Orissa remained cooler due to sporadic rains, many places in western parts of the state Saturday witnessed over 40 degree Celsius temperature, Bhubaneswar Meteorological Office director S.C. Sahu said.
Bolangir, Angul, Titilagarh, Sundergarh and Bhabanipatna towns recorded maximum 42.4, 40.0, 43.3, 39.0 and 42.3 degrees Celsius, he said. The temperatures in coastal regions remained below 40 degree Celsius, he said.
At least 47 people have died across the state due to sunstroke since March, state revenue control room official D.N. Sahu said.
The state, last month, declared an early summer vacation for schools after some regions witnessed over temperatures over 40 degrees.