Soaring temperature makes people’s lives miserable

Anantapur: The average temperature in the district is 40 degrees Celsius but in some places temperatures are recording up to 42 degrees especially in Anantapur city, Rayadurgam, Tadipatri and Guntakal towns. People are feeling miserable during the past three days with even ISRO satellite reports warning of high voltage sun heat during April 10-12 and a little beyond in the entire state itself. People are confined to their homes fearing sun stroke and sun sickness.

Highlights:

• District Collector orders closure of schools after 11 am
• Tents are being erected for NREGS labourers at places where community works are in progress, says DWMA PD
• District administration has sent proposals to the government seeking Rs 7 crore to supply drinking water to Anantapur city

District Collector Kona Sasidhar has ordered closure of schools after 11 am. The blistering heat is making people weary when exposed to sun even for an hour. Even those making a roaring business on selling liquid juices including buttermilk, sodas, fruit juices and even selling water melons are scared to get exposed to sun rays as the heat is just unbearable.

Even in the nights people are experiencing hot breeze and only the middle class sections are turning to air-conditioners and coolers while for those living in weaker section houses and under tinned roof housing, life is miserable with unbearable heat on one hand and mosquitoes feasting on the sleeping labourers on the other.

Temperatures in the district during the past five days are anywhere between 41 degrees to 43 degrees centigrade. Day is hot right from 8 am in the morning and afternoons are unbearable. The worst sufferers are the daily wage labourers in rural areas and the traders and push cart vendors in urban areas, who bear the brunt of the heat of the day, totally exposed to blazing heat.

Fearing the burning sun, the NREGS workers are going to work as early as 5.30 am and finishing their work by 10.30 am. DWMA Project Director (PD) A Nagabhushanam says that tents are being erected for NREGS labourers at places where community works are in progress. Buttermilk, medical kits and pot water is being supplied to the labourers.

However, the April and May being public examinations months, students are seen rushing to their examination centres despite the heat. Fruit juice centres and soda wallahs are having a field day quenching the thirst of the people on the roads.
The water melon is coming to the rescue of the common people.

Women are confined to their homes and in the evenings, there is a slight respite from the heat of the day and people are flocking to fruit and ice cream parlours to cool their bodies with cool stuff. For many, buttermilk is the favourite drink. Field workers who had to be constantly on the move are seen cooling off by drinking buttermilk. Roads are wearing a deserted look after 12 pm up to 3 pm.

Vijay Prasad, an environmental science student attributes the unbearable heat to destruction of environment, cutting down of trees and depletion of ozone layer covering the sun. Since the layer is fast depleting, sun rays are falling on human beings directly sans protection. Things will be worse in near future and human beings will be prone to diseases unheard of due to sun fury, he adds.

The crops unable to bear the brunt of the heat are withering in the district in the absence of water supply. District Collector Kona Sasidhar says that proposals have been sent to the government to sanction Rs 42 crore to wet the drying horticulture plantations in 600 hectares. Funds are needed to continuously supply tanker water for three months to save the standing plantations.

The government is also urged to release Rs 16.86 crore for drinking water supply by tankers in Hindupur, Rayadurg and Gooty. The Collector also asked for Rs 7 crore for drinking water supply for Anantapur city.