MONSOON TO INTENSIFY IN NEXT 48 HOURS: IMD
LUCKNOW : Heavy rains accompanied by strong winds occurred in 28 districts of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, bringing much needed respite from heat and humidity. The southwest monsoon is expected to intensify further across the state on Sunday and Monday, according to Indian Meteorological Department forecast on Saturday.
The state recorded 9mm scattered rainfall across the districts in west and central Uttar Pradesh. Some parts of the state capital also received brief spell of rain in the afternoon, said MeT department. The rains on Saturday, according to experts, were effect of the south west monsoon that resumed in UP this week after a pause of over 20 days. The rains also caused drop in average maximum temperature to 35 degrees celsius which is one degree below normal. The state capital recorded maximum temperature of 32 degrees celsius on Saturday.
“UP will experience heavy rainfall in most parts on Sunday and Monday. The rains will be caused by a low-pressure zone which is being aided by weak western currents. We are expecting 12mm to 14mm average rainfall across UP in the next 48 hours,” said JP Gupta, director of state MeT department. Considering the forecast, the MeT department has issued warning to all district administrations asking them to take measures to reduce damage caused by heavy rains.
VARANASI : Over a dozen Congress workers led by party’s Sonbhadra district unit president Ramraj Gond were taken into police custody on Saturday, when they tried to observe the anniversary of an incident in which 11 people were killed in an indiscriminate firing over a land dispute in Umbha village on July 17, 2019.
Ramraj Gond along with a dozen Congress workers and locals, holding pictures of those killed in 2019, were stopped by the police when they tried to march towards the incident spot on the outskirts of Umbha village, to pay tributes to the 11 people killed three years ago, said Congress leader Shatrunjay Mishra.
In protest, Congress leader and party workers, who belong to Umbha, also staged a dharna. District unit Congress vice president Arvind Singh said that taking Congress district unit president into custody was the murder of democracy.
Public would teach a lesson to BJP-led government in 2022 assembly election, said Mishra.
A senior police officer said that organising any programme was prohibited during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Locals were appealed to observe the anniversary of Umbha incident at their homes instead of organising it in open. They were asked to avoid mass gathering at the village, the officer said.