KHAMMAM: Climate change has been blamed for warmer winters and scorching summers. This year, summer has been particularly punishing for India’s youngest state. Previous temperature records have been shattered, accompanied by the familiar tragedy, that is farmers dying of sunstroke.
Khammam and Bhadradri Kothagudem districts are reeling under a severe heat wave with temperature touching 47 to 48 degrees. In Khammam, Kothagudem and Manugur town, temperature was recorded at 44 degree Celsius on Thursday.
After 9 am hardly anyone is seen on the roads. The high temperature has hit the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) works, as labourers are not coming to field works due to soaring temperature. The high temperature has also hit coal production in Kothagudem, Yellandu, Manugur and Sattupalli.
N Venkatesh, resident of Kothagudem said even air-conditioners are not protecting us from high temperature. People are blaming the district administration for not taking any measures to deal with the heat wave. However, fruit juice and coconut sellers are doing brisk business.
TSRTC revenue hit
Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) is also one of the victims as majority of the services in the afternoon are being continued without passengers and officials have cancelled some afternoon services.
Attendance at temples low
The soaring mercury has also hit the revenue of the famous temple Ramalayam in Bhadrachalam and Parnasala and the same is being seen in all major temples in both districts. Meanwhile, an Agriculture Extension Officer died of a sunstroke at Miryalaguda in Surayepet district on Thursday.
Heatwave to continue to scorch state today
The heatwave continued to torment people across TS on Thursday. Maximum temperatures above 46 degree Celsius were recorded at many places in the state. IMD Hyderabad Centre said that heat wave conditions are likely to prevail at isolated places in all districts of Telangana on Friday as well.
At Mancherial, on Thursday, highest temperature was recorded at a scorching 46.7 degree Celsius followed by 46.3 degree Celsius at Bhadrachalam, 46 degree Celsius at Ramagundam, 45.3 degree Celsius at Adilabad and 45 degree Celsius at Khammam.
Temperatures above 46 degree Celsius were mainly recorded in the districts Mancherial, Karimnagar, Warangal, Bhupalpally, Mahbubabad, Bhadradri and Jagtial. In Hyderabad, the maximum temperature recorded as per Automatic Weather Stations of Telangana State Development Planning Society (TSDPS) was 43.87 degree Celsius at Monda Market and Marredpally, Secunderabad.