The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday that the country is set to experience “extreme heat wave days” between April and June this year, coinciding with the Lok Sabha elections scheduled in seven phases (from April 19 till June 1). According to the news agency PTI, IMD's director general Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, mentioned that above-normal maximum temperatures are expected over most parts of the country during the April-June period, with a higher likelihood in central and western peninsular India.

During this time, above-normal heatwave conditions are anticipated across most plains areas. The official further noted that various parts of the country could expect “10 to 20 heatwave days, compared to the usual four to eight days”.

Gujarat, central Maharashtra, northern Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, north Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh are among the regions likely “to face the most severe impact of heatwaves,” according to Mohapatra.

Regarding the preparations of the state governments for the upcoming elections amid predictions of heatwave conditions, Union Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju told news agency ANI, “According to our projections, a huge region of the country is going to be affected with heatwave including states like West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. Since there are Lok Sabha elections in the next few days, we have taken precautions for the heatwave. We had a two-day meeting with State governments regarding preparations and issued an advisory for the same.”

Source: Hindustan Times