New Delhi: After returning from a three-day tour of European countries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to hold an important meeting to review government preparedness in handling the soaring temperatures in several parts of the country. He is also expected to discuss the upcoming monsoon season, which has been predicted to be normal for the current year by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), reported news agency ANI.
Citing sources, the news agency said that the Prime Minister is likely to hold seven to eight meetings during the day.
Several parts of the country, particularly parts of northwest India that include Rajasthan and Gujarat, most parts of North India, parts of Central India and the southern parts of the country have been reeling under extreme day temperatures.
The maximum temperature in the national capital in the last two weeks has hovered around the 40 degrees Celsius mark. At times it also touched 44 degrees.
The Average maximum temperature in northwest India in the month of April settled at 35.9 degrees Celsius, while in the central India the average maximum was almost two notches higher at 37.78 degrees Celsius. It has been the hottest April in 122 years for both the regions.
Heatwaves are common in India in the summer season, especially in May, which is typically the hottest month. But relief comes from time to time in the form of pre-monsoon showers. But this year there hasn't been good pre-monsoon rain so far and the temperatures have been on the rise since early April.
Western Disturbances, responsible for bringing rain, have also remained feeble and few. Lack of rainfall and continuous dry and hot westerly winds blowing from Balochistan region in Pakistan has further added to the woes.