Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 21 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh continued to reel under intense heatwave conditions on Thursday, with Banda district remaining the hottest place in the country for the third consecutive day after recording a maximum temperature of 48.2 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
In Banda, residents were seen seeking relief from the extreme heat by consuming sherbet and drinking water from roadside stalls. Local resident Puneet Saxena blamed deforestation and illegal mining for worsening temperatures in the district.
“It is scorching hot in Banda right now. It is a sort of ‘Agni Pariksha’ for Banda residents. I believe the reason for this rise in temperature is trees being cut down and illegal mining. Stone and sand mafia operate here,” he said.
Another resident, Syed Imran Ali, echoed similar concerns. “The heat conditions are so bad that the temperature is continuously increasing. The biggest reason is illegal cutting down of trees to make roads. All the old huge trees that caused cooling due to their shadows have ceased to exist here,” he said.
Amid rising temperatures, Lucknow’s Civil Hospital has established a dedicated “cold room” facility and special wards for treatment of heat stress and heatstroke patients as temperatures in the state capital crossed 42 degrees Celsius.
Speaking to ANI, Lucknow Civil Hospital Chief Medical Superintendent Devesh Chandra Pandey said the hospital had made extensive preparations following government directions.
“Considering the scorching heat this year, we have been directed by the government to be fully prepared. We have made a ward of 10 beds. We have set up a cold room area, which encapsulates three rooms where the AC is continuously on. We have stocked up ORS and ice packs,” he said.
“We have not received a patient in a serious condition yet,” he added. The IMD has issued an ‘Orange Alert’ for several districts of western Uttar Pradesh, including Lucknow, amid prevailing heatwave conditions.
Earlier on Wednesday, meteorologist Dr Dinesh said Banda had been recording temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius for nearly a week.
“Key reasons include direct sunlight due to proximity to the Tropic of Cancer, clear skies, plateau terrain with low soil moisture, drying rivers, deforestation, and mining,” he told ANI.
Meanwhile, physician Vineet Sachan said hospitals were witnessing a surge in patients suffering from fever, dizziness, vomiting and diarrhoea due to the heatwave.
District Magistrate Amit Aseri said hospitals and ambulances had been placed on alert while advisories were being issued asking people to avoid going out during peak afternoon hours. (ANI)
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