Lucknow, Jan 16 (IANS): The district administration of Noida in Uttar Pradesh Thursday issued notice to six public and private schools for not complying with its orders on closure of schools in view of the cold wave.

Officials told IANS that as many as six schools have been asked to explain, within two days, why action should not be initiated against them for violating government guidelines and jeopardising the health and safety of students.

The notice issued by the Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) cites an earlier order from the district magistrate in which the management of different schools up to Class 8 have been informed that institutions should remain closed till Jan 18 owing to fog and inclement weather.

A road mishap on the Sector 25-31 intersection in Noida early Thursday exposed the violation of the closure norm by some schools.

Following the accident, in which nine students of the Army Public School were injured, the BSA was asked by senior government officials to crack the whip on errant schools, and seek a written explanation.

"We would like to know from the schools why they have defied orders of the DM (district magistrate) and risked the lives of innocent students. Serious action would be taken after studying their response," an official told IANS.

Schools in several districts of the state, including Lucknow, Meerut, Chitrakoot and Kanpur, have been ordered closed till Jan 18. Schools were set to reopen Jan 15 after the winter break, but that break has now been extended.

Fog has disrupted normal life in the state for the last four days.