World | India
Sizzling heat continues as monsoon stays away
Heatwave deaths mounted, school vacations were extended, religious rituals were performed and drinking water was rationed in at least one state as large parts of India continued to sizzle on Tuesday, with no signs of the delayed monsoon arriving to provide relief from the scorching heat.
- IANS
- Published: 22:56 June 23, 2009
New Delhi: Heatwave deaths mounted, school vacations were extended, religious rituals were performed and drinking water was rationed in at least one state as large parts of India continued to sizzle on Tuesday, with no signs of the delayed monsoon arriving to provide relief from the scorching heat.
Gujarat was the only exception, receiving pre-monsoon showers yesterday afternoon. A total of 56 sub-districts in 17 districts witnessed pre-monsoon activity, with rainfall ranging from three millimetres to 10 centimetres being recorded, an agriculture department official said.
In the national capital, the maximum temperature recorded was a good five degrees above average at 43.7C - with officials predicting hotter days ahead.
The heatwave this summer has already claimed 56 lives in Orissa.
"Fifty-six people have died because of the heatwave this summer," D.N. Sahu, officer on special duty in the state revenue control room, told IANS.
The maximum temperature recorded in Orissa yesterday was at Sambalpur, where it was 46.2 C, while at the state capital Bhubaneswar recorded a temperature of 44.6C.
The state government yesterday decided to extend the summer vacation of schools to June 29 due to the unprecedented heatwave gripping many parts of the state, officials said.
"The summer vacation was extended up to June 28. The schools will now open on Monday, June 29," a senior official of the state school and mass education department told IANS.
Usually the summer vacation in the state starts on May 1 and ends on June 16. However, this year schools announced early vacations from April 21.
The water shortage in Madhya Pradesh is so severe that the state government has introduced water rationing in 115 towns and cities. Water is being sold at prices ranging from two rupees (Dh0.15) to five rupees a bucket in several places.
The lack of rainfall in the state has made the people turn to performing rituals such as frog marriages and non-stop prayers to appease the rain deities.
The state government has also performed several 'Som Yagnas' (fire rituals) to attempt to make it rain.
"This is an ancient ritual of ours and it will bless us with a good monsoon. Science is not against Vedas, so we have organised this holy yagna for the rain gods," said Somaji Nana Kale of the Veda Vigyan Ashram in Maharashtra's Sholapur town.
The last 'Som Yagna' was performed last week in Ujjain, with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan attending.
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