Uttar Pradesh reels under severe heat wave, power cuts

Heat wave across Uttar Pradesh continues unabated, with temperatures set to cross 45 degrees Celsius, said the weatherman on Monday as power cuts added to people's woes with no signs of respite.

In the past 24-hours, the mercury crossed 44 degrees Celsius at most places, with Banda being the hottest at 46.8 degrees Celsius, the Met official said.

The mercury climbed 2.7 degrees in the last one day, signalling the onset of a gruelling summer and a scorching heat wave in the state.

Barring a brief period of gusty winds followed by a dust storm and hail at some places, weather has been very inclement, forcing changing of timing of many schools and early closure for summer breaks at others.

The Regional Met Office predicts a further rise in day temperatures, which are likely to cross 45 degrees Celsius at most places in the state, particularly in Bundelkhand and Poorvanchal.

With the rising mercury, it is likely that the past record of 46.5 degrees average May temperature, (set in 1995) might be shattered soon, the Met office said.

Power outages in many places is also leading to additional woes in many towns and cities.

The state government and the Power Minister Shrikant Sharma have been claiming 24x7 power supply in the state's cities and 18 hours in smaller towns. But the power cuts in most places are extending for more than four-five hours.

Angry residents here in Telibagh and Southcity areas barged into a substation late on Sunday night to protest long duration of unscheduled power cuts.

In Hariharnagar too, the power cuts have increased and so is the case in Indiranagar, Aliganj.

Power cuts here last close to six hours on an average and power supply officials blame it on overloading, local faults.

Ashutosh Kumar, chief engineer of Lucknow Electricity Supply Administration (Lesa) informed that the power demand has peaked by 25 per cent in the last few days. He, however, assured that the supply would be normalized soon.