High heat thermal and power cuts under UP reels

Lucknow,May 15:Hot tide throughout Uttar Pradesh continues.Temperatures drop to 45 degrees Celsius, according to weather experts.

In the last 24 hours,the pedestals crossed 44 degrees Celsius,while the bundle was recorded at 46.8 degrees Celsius, the Met official said.

Mercury reached 2.7 degrees last day,with a heavy summer start in the state and a scorching thermal wave signals.

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. 

Electricity and power supply officials are overloading power cuts near the six hours,and said these all due to local defects.

Ashutosh Kumar,chief engineer of the Lucknow Electricity Supply Administration (LSSA),said power demand in the last few days has reached 25 per cent.Nevertheless,he assured the supply would be normal soon.