E-Paper
Cold wave kills in six in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar district in one week
More snowfall is forecast in Garhwal’s upper reaches and the plains are expected to remain extremely chilly till January 10.
An intense cold wave in Uttarakhand has killed six people in Haridwar district in the past one week. Four people have died in Haridwar town, and two in Roorkee.
Two unidentified persons died in Haridwar on Friday – one at a night shelter, the other in a hospital. Their last rites were performed by Sewa Samiti, a religious and social organization in the service of the poor.
With the minimum temperature plunging to seven degrees Celsius and fog prevailing till noon, it’s a nightmare for those living on streets and open slums.
District magistrate Deepak Rawat has ordered closure of all schools and anganbadi centers till January 15 because of the cold wave.
Assistant town commissioner Sanjay Kumar told HT that Chidiyapur depot of Forest Corporation has been asked to provide additional supply of wood for bonfires to keep the underprivileged people warm.
“About 80 public points in the city woods for bonfire lighting has been provided by the Municipal Corporation since past fortnight,” Haridwar mayor Manoj Garg told HT.
“From railway station, bus stand, Har-Ki-Pauri, Ranipur, Jwalapur, shrines, temples, intersections, and other public places we have made arrangements for bonfire so that poor people can keep themselves warm,” Garg said.
But social activist JP Baduni cites more than a dozen points like Chandighat, Dudhadhari square, Bharat Mata Mandir, Sukhi Nadi, Tibdi stretch, Upper Road, Devpura Road, Rishikul, Arya Nagar stretch and parts of sub-urban Jwalapur where no such arrangements has been provided by the civic corporation.
Sewa Samiti is also providing free of cost wood and twigs for lighting fire at public places like Har-Ki-Pauri Ganga ghats, vegetable market, post office barrier and upper road.
Additional district magistrate Lalit Narain Mishra distributed more than 100 blankets to poor and needy people in past two days.
Ten long distance trains have been cancelled in past two days due to heavy fog. The cold and fog has also led to led to fewer pilgrims at Ganga ghats.
According to a Met department forecast, partly cloudy and foggy condition will continue for the next few days.Rain is unlikely before January 15.Snowfall is forecast in the upper reaches of Garhwal division while the plains will face foggy and chilly weather till January 10.
Teerth purohit Pandit Avikshit Raman said the cold is likely to lessen after January 13.
“From January 14 as per Hindu calendar Hemant Ritu phase will pave way for Shishir Ritu and Makar Sakranti festive baths will be observed followed by Mauni Amawasya. The sun’s intensity will gradually increase and the cold will then lessen,” Pandit Raman said.
