Adilabad freezes in winter chill

​Adilabad: Mercury dropped in Adilabad district, known as Kashmir of Telangana, on Monday to 14 degrees Celsius, compounding woes of the people, who are dreading to go out of their homes from 4 pm onwards. According to a morning walker Mallayya, people are abstaining from going out jogging as it is very cold outside till 8 am. The impact of winter is high in areas abutting forest areas – Narnur, Utnoor, Ichchoda, Indravelli and Boath.

Meanwhile, sale of woolen clothes - mufflers, sweaters, gloves and shawls - picked up momentum. Such low temperatures were unheard of in the past in November, says a lecturer Santosh Kumar. People were scared at the very thought of going out, he added. Farmers who have to go out for farm works are confining themselves in the comforts of their homes. Unless it is absolutely necessary, they are not willing to step out. Milk and newspaper vendors are working against all odds braving the chilly weather.

In Asifabad district, Vankidi, Tiryani, Bejjuru, Koutala and Dahegam, which are located in thick forest area, the impact of winter is very high. Even water turned freezing cold. In Mancherial, Bellampalli, Srirampur and Ramakrishna towns, the morning temperatures are normal, however, by dusk the temperatures are dropping phenomenally causing a lot of trouble to coal miners working in the evening and night shifts. They have been exhorting the SCCL management to reschedule the shift timings.

Important and otherwise busy intersections in industrial areas wore a deserted look due to the drop in temperature. The shopkeepers are complaining of lack of customers. Vehicle riders are facing difficulties because of thick fog hanging in the atmosphere. The road ahead could not be seen because of poor visibility caused by freezing cold temperatures. In Adilabad, Nirmal and Mancherial districts, drivers were seen stopping their vehicles near dhabas and resuming their journey only in the morning.

Children, the aged and sanitation workers who report for work in the mornings are falling sick, complaining of respiratory diseases, because of adverse seasonal conditions. Doctors are advising people to stay indoors when the temperature is dropped to the minimum. Weather experts hinted that the winter this year could be severe in the district. A scientist, Sridhar Chauhan, says the severity of the winter will not subside unless a low-pressure area is formed in the Bay of Bengal.

By Thotla Anjaiah