Dhenkanal burns as mercury soars high, students at IIMC struggle to cope with heatwaves
“The scorching sun has almost burnt the green cover. Leaves, which would swing in the cradle of wind a month ago, appear to be completely tanned and lifeless.”
By Princy Yadav
Dhenkanal (Odisha), April 18: The lush green cover of Indian Institute of Mass Communication, the Government of India’s premier educational institute in Odisha’s Dhenkanal, has now turned brown. The scorching sun has almost burnt the green cover. Leaves, which would swing in the cradle of wind a month ago, appear to be completely tanned and lifeless. Flowers have almost invisible.
In fact, the ongoing heatwave which is sweeping across the state making life miserable for both flora and fauna is also taking a heavy toll on the nature here at our campus. The IIMC campus which was bustling with blooming trees and vines, has already begun to wither.
With an umbrella in one hand and a water bottle in the other, students who have come from all over the country, are experiencing the scorching heat of Dhenkanal. Sweltering heatwaves have accounted for some of the students falling sick.
Students hailing from Jammu, Kashmir and Uttarakhand are finding it difficult to cope with the extreme heat conditions. Students have been advised to avoid going outside and stay in their hostel. But even staying in a hostel doesn’t seem to give relief either.
Though the spring has not fully retreated, it feels like the summer has reached its peak. With day temperature soaring high above the 40 degree Celsius mark almost on every day for a week now, the whole city is literally burning.
This present condition of heatwaves is not just limited to Dhenkanal. It can be seen in other parts of Odisha. The situation is expected to worsen in the coming days as predicted by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The IMD has warned that the day time temperatures are expected to surpass the 45-degree Celsius mark in some places in Odisha in the coming days.
(Ms Princy Yadav is a student of journalism and mass communication at Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Dhenkanal)
