Intense heat waves in Pune and the drought-affected districts in Kerala are making life miserable for the people in these regions.
In Pune temperatures in the last two days have been hovering around 40 degree Celsius.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department such high temperatures in the month of March is abnormal.
The highest temperature recorded last year during this month was 38.5 degree Celsius on March 28.
Palakkad district in Kerala, facing an unprecedented drought, recorded a temperature of 40 degree Celsius on Wednesday, the highest in two decades. One person died in Gallippara in Attappady district due to sunstroke.
Due to the dried up Chittur river, taps were running dry in Chittur-Thathamangal municipality and the supply of drinking water in six adjoining panchayats had come to a halt since Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the ongoing fast by farmers under the banner of Parambikkulam Aliyar Jalasamrakshana Samiti entered the second week, demanding urgent steps by state government to secure state's due share of water from Tamil Nadu.
Chief Minister A K Antony is supposed to visit the district on March 20 for his personal assessment of the gravity of the drought situation.
