After mercurial onslaught, summer saga takes sweaty turn in U.P.

After May-end breached the 45-degrees Celsius mark in most cities in Uttar Pradesh, the high humidity level has become the tormentor in chief for people across the state though the temperature has dropped a little in some districts.

Lucknow recorded maximum and minimum temperatures of 42.2 and 30.2 degrees Celsius respectively on Sunday but the humidity level of 63% was quite high.

Even as the south-west monsoon is still over a fortnight away, the occasional cloudy sky is sowing the seeds of hope of rain relief among people.

The maximum and minimum temperature will be around 43 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius respectively on Monday when partly cloudy sky has been forecast in the state capital.

About 120 kilometres from Lucknow, Fatehpur was the hottest city in Uttar Pradesh as the mercury shot up to 46.2 degrees Celsius on Sunday. Kanpur IAF and Jhansi recorded maximum temperature of 45.2 degrees, Orai 44.8, Agra 43.5, Hamirpur 43.2 and Kanpur City 43 degrees Celsius.

The weatherman has said rain/thundershowers are “very likely” at isolated places over the state.

IMD has also issued a warning of heatwave to severe heatwave “very likely to continue at isolated places over the state”. There is also a warning of thunderstorm accompanied by lightning/strong winds (speed 30-40 kmph) “very likely” at isolated places over the state.

Power cuts

Amid the onslaught of summer, power cuts troubled residents in the city.

Akshara Dayal, a resident of Indira Nagar, said, “While there is no shortage of water in Indira Nagar, residents are grappling with severe power disruptions due to an intense heatwave. The scorching temperatures have led to frequent power cuts, severely affecting daily routines. The intermittent electricity supply has left households struggling with limited use of essential appliances. Power cuts add to the discomfort, and concerns over food spoilage are on the rise. The combination of extreme heat and unreliable power has made it difficult for residents to stay cool and maintain their daily activities.”

Locals reached out to the authorities urging them to address the power issues swiftly.

Raja Bazaar residents find themselves battling not just soaring temperatures but also frequent utility disruptions. Sadia Khan, a local resident, said, “Mother nature needs a chill pill.”

This sentiment echoes through the densely populated area.

The neighborhood is plagued by repeated failures of power transformers, leading to frequent power outages.

Water supply inconsistent

Water supply remains inconsistent. Many households resort to using pumps to fill their tanks, a practice that has become the norm due to the unreliable municipal water service. “As usual, we fill our tanks with tullu (pump),” said another resident.

In Alambagh’s Anand Nagar, residents are grappling with ongoing utility problems. Frequent power cuts and persistent low voltage issues make the situation worse.

Saud Ahmad, 21, a football player, said, “This weather and the threat of heatstroke is making it extremely difficult for people to practise if we don’t find indoor fields. Everyday at least one of our friends faints or experiences serious dehydration even if we have practice sessions early in the morning. We wish there were more provisions by the authorities for indoor spaces with ample facilities to encourage sports in the city.”

Pari Singh, 32, climate activist, remarked, “The rising temperatures and the heatstroke warnings are a wake-up call to the authorities as well as the people to preserve the planet as soon as we can. As 2023 was the hottest year on record, surpassing pre-industrial levels by approximately 1.5 degrees, we can expect the same from 2024, since temperatures have been increasing consecutively each month.”

Manoj Kumar, 33, a street vendor, said, “The task of sourcing clean water is becoming more difficult while earnings are declining since the public avoids consuming street food in the summer as our goods are susceptible to spoilage. Customers come to buy vegetables only in the morning and evening because of the intense heat. So, I can’t go home to rest. When it’s sunny, I sleep on the footpath under my pushcart.”