Dipping mercury with the bone-penetrating cold waves influenced by the low pressure formed over south-east Bay of Bengal has thrown life out of gear across the coal and steel belt of Dhanbad-Bokaro.
The school going students and daily wage earners are having a tough time. Foggy weather has affected railway and bus services too while attendance in offices has declined in many parts of the Dhanbad district. As fog engulfed most of the parts of the twin districts visibility reduced to even less than 25 metres especially in hilly terrains. “The cold wave is likely to continue for a few more days”, said a met official.
District administration distributed blankets among the poor in Chandankiyari block on Monday night. About 2000 blankets are scheduled to distribute in Boakro district. We are on move to arrange fire woods at all the nooks and corners of the town as well as in villages to beat the cold during nights, said a district administration official.
Meanwhile, several NGO’s and others are also distributing blankets among the poor and needy in the twin districts last night. The ongoing cold waves also hits vegetation in the duo districts and may harm to the standing rabi crop worth of lakhs, said a district agriculture official. “Rabi crops, including mustard and its varieties, and leafy vegetables in several hectares of cultivable land wilted in the pricing cold if such condition continues for more days”, added the official.
The intense killing cold wave made the day miserable not only for the human beings but for the animals too.
The authorities of Jawaharlal Nehru Biological Park (JNB) at Bokaro Steel City are struggling hard to provide warmth to the zoo inmates.