Lucknow feels the chill! Maximum temperature plunges to 11.6°C
LUCKNOW: The Meteorological Centre issued warning of cold day to severe cold day conditions at many places in the state on Friday.
“Dense to very dense fog is likely at many places over the state,” said JP Gupta, Met director.
The maximum temperature in Lucknow dipped to 11.6°C, which was 11 degrees below normal while the minimum was 6.7°C (-2).
The maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 14 and 6 degrees Celsius respectively on Friday, said the weatherman.
Due to the cold wave, all schools, from pre-primary to Class 12 in Lucknow district would remain closed till December 28 (Saturday), said Abhishek Prakash, district magistrate.
Bahraich was the coldest in the state with a minimum temperature of 3.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Basti (4.5 degrees).
‘TAKE STEPS TO SHIELD POOR FROM COLD WAVE’
Additional chief secretary (home) Awanish Kumar Awasthi directed the district magistrates, superintendents of police, chief development officers to take measures to protect people, especially the homeless, destitute and weaker sections from the cold wave.
District administration officers should ensure that there is no death due to hunger, lack of shelter, clothes or medical facilities in the respective districts. Local bodies including municipal corporations, nagar palika parishad and nagar panchayats have been directed to arrange bonfires at public places, he said.
Awasthi said shelters set up for the homeless should be equipped with required facilities.
The capacity of shelters should be increased or new shelters should be established, if the number of people increases in view of cold wave.
Officers will monitor facilities at shelters and also make surprise visits to check that no one was sleeping in the open, he added.
He said the SPs had been told to direct the station house officers (SHOs) to provide adequate security in shelters.
Police officers will also ensure that the needy were using facilities in shelters.