SRINAGAR, July 5 -- Amid an ongoing and unprecedented heatwave sweeping across the Kashmir Valley, the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has urged the Jammu and Kashmir government to extend the summer vacation in schools by at least two more weeks. The appeal was directed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Education Minister Sakina Itoo, citing concerns over student safety and inadequate infrastructure in many schools.

In a statement released on Friday, the KCCI highlighted the pressing need to prioritize children's health during what is being described as one of the harshest summers the Valley has witnessed in recent years. "The safety and well-being of our children must be the foremost concern," said Faiz Ahmed Bakshi, S...