Ongole: People stay indoors as mercury soars

Ongole (Prakasam district) : The mercury levels in almost all mandals in Prakasam district on Thursday raised more than 4 degrees above normal day temperatures in May. Following the advisories by the district administration, the public remained almost indoors deserting roads and saving from heat wave.

The day temperatures in western area of Prakasam district proved to be soaring than coastal part. Dornala, Pamur, Veligandla, Marripudi, Tarlupadu, Yerragondapalem, Pedacherlopalle, Markapuram, Kurichedu, Kanigiri, Cumbum, Donakonda and several other mandals registered maximum temperature between 43 and 44 degrees Celsius on Thursday. The eastern part of the district is also reeling under soaring temperatures and curfew-like atmosphere is visible in the afternoon in towns and villages.

Two-wheeler drivers, pushcart vendors and on-call workers are the most affected by the scorching sun. Juice shops and fizzy drink carts are doing good business. The employees of the Collectorate complained about shortage of fans and are seen carrying more than one water bottle as the administration didn’t care to maintain the basic amenities like safe drinking water and clean toilets.

Due to increase in power consumption and demand, APCPDCL is indirectly imposing cuts in the supply for two hours in urban areas and four hours in rural areas during night in the name of load balancing.

Prakasam district Collector AS Dinesh Kumar already advised the public not to come outside of their houses between 11 am and 3.30 pm. He informed that they have set up 670 water and buttermilk kiosks through local bodies in the district and supplying ORS packets through YSR Health Clinics. He ordered the officials to end MGNREGA works by 11 am and cancel day shifts in granite quarries to save the workers from sunstroke.