NALGONDA/SANGAREDDY: Nalgonda which usually experiences high temperatures, has taken a U-turn. For the past one week, a cold wave has been sweeping the entire district. The people who have been affected the most are beggars, orphans and destitutes.
The lack of night shelters is forcing them to spend the cold nights on pavements and traffic islands.
After several years, the district is experiencing a drastic drop in the temperatures. For the past one week, minimum temperatures, between 13 and 15 degrees Celsius, have been recorded.
According to the Supreme Court’s guidelines, district administrations have to provide compulsory shelters to beggars and destitutes. But, many municipalities have not been following the norms. According to the Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA) incharge project director K Sarveshwar Reddy, 61 persons in Nalgonda town, 51 in Suryapeta and 51 in Miryalaguda town have been identifed as homeless.
“We are planning to shift them to local shelters next month,’’ he said. The officials are making arrangements to provide temporary shelters for this winter before taking up permanent measures from the next year, he said.
Meanwhile, the drastic change in climatic conditions had its impact on public, especially children. Both private and government hospitals are crowded with ailing persons due to dipping temperatures.
In Medak district, the dip in temperatures in the past 10 days has left the people shivering down to their bones. The situation of the homeless and destitutes has become pathetic. Officials said the present cold wave might continue beyond Sankranti till Sivaratri.
Three days ago, the district witnessed a record-low of 8.5 degree celsius. On Saturday, the minimum recorded temperature was 9 degree celsius and on Sunday, it was 11 degrees. Shelterless poor and beggars are left with no other option but to light bonfires all night to beat the cold.
Meanwhile, the MEPMA officials submitted a letter to their respective municipal commissioners to provide night shelters to the poor to prevent any casualities due to the extreme cold weather.