April-June to be hotter than usual, more heatwave days likely in many states: IMD
New Delhi (PTI): India is expected to experience hotter-than-usual temperatures from April to June, with more heatwave days in central and eastern India and the northwestern plains, the IMD said on Monday.
Most parts of the country will see higher-than-normal maximum temperatures, except for some areas in western and eastern India where the temperatures are expected to be normal. Minimum temperatures will also be above normal in most regions, India Meteorological Department (IMD) chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said in an online press conference.
"From April to June, most parts of north and east India, central India, and the plains of northwest India are expected to experience two to four more heatwave days than normal," he said.
Usually, India records four to seven heatwave days from April to June.
An IMD official had earlier said northwest India might face double the number of heatwave days during the summer.
ALSO READ: Karnataka likely to experience hailstorm between 1-3 April; 25 districts put on alert
The region normally experiences five to six heatwave days during the season.
States likely to see above-normal heatwave days include Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and the northern parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
In April, most parts of India will likely witness higher-than-usual maximum temperatures. However, some areas in the extreme southern and the northwestern regions may experience normal temperatures.
Minimum temperatures will be higher than usual across most of the country, except for a few places in the northwest and the northeast where temperatures may be normal or slightly below normal, Mohapatra said.
Experts have warned that India should prepare for a peak electricity demand growth of 9 to 10 per cent this summer season, with the country expected to experience a higher number of heatwave days.
Last year, the all-India peak electricity demand crossed 250 gigawatts (GW) on May 30 -- 6.3 per cent higher than projections.
Climate change-induced heat stress is one of the key factors driving electricity demand.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
SP has ended contract with I-PAC due to fund constraints: Akhilesh Yadav
Lucknow (PTI): Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said his party has severed its association with the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) due to a lack of funds.
He dismissed speculations that the termination of contract was because of recent election results.
Addressing a press conference here, Yadav said the party had engaged I-PAC for a brief period ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections but could not continue the arrangement.
"Yes, we had an association. They worked with us for a few months, but we are not able to continue because we do not have that kind of funding," he said.
The I-PAC is a political consultancy firm known for managing major election campaigns across the country.
Election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor has also been associated with the organisation in the past and has worked with multiple parties, including the BJP and the Congress.
In a lighter vein, Yadav took a swipe at the ecosystem of political consultancies. "We thought that if we have to work with a 'winning agency', then there are several big companies."
He said that some people suggested conducting surveys, hiring another firm, keeping a social media company, and even engaging agencies for negative campaigning against other parties.
"There are one or two more companies whose names are not yet known. I can get those for you as well," Yadav said.
Yadav rejected the suggestion that the decision to end the deal was influenced by recent election outcomes in states such as West Bengal.
"There is no such thing. Do not ask questions based on baseless reports. That is not true," he said.
"This is not the reason for ending the agreement. We simply do not have enough funds. If you (the media) give us funds, we can hire another company," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.
