By D N Singh
Nature had never been so unkind to the living world as it is today. Dislocations in the weather pattern have become so erratic that the best in the world of meteorology have, perhaps, failed at an accurate forecast.
Forecast is a word which sounds irrelevant as weather experts simply seen dishing out warnings not corresponding to the realities on the earth.
Rain or storm in the peaks of winter like, in November or December indicate at the nightmares in store.
This year’s local predictions for Odisha, as meteorological forecasts say, in a few places the day temperature would exceed 45 c and by the end of March and on wards, the temperature may further aggravate next month.
The climate, as of now, can be seen as a throwback to the days of 1998 when Odisha went through a killer blister which had claimed above 2000 human lives besides leading to heat-related untold number of chronic conditions.
This year, although, the heat wave conditions have not been so menacing but, it has already lasted more days than conventionally tolerable by human body.
Prolonged exposure to heat wave can cause several heat related exhaustion like heat strokes, heat cramps and even death. Even cardiovascular complications may arise following exposure to extreme heat conditions.
A severe heat wave is likely to prevail in Odisha from March 31 to April 6, as per the meteorological experts.
“One does not know if this can be more frightening in the days ahead like April and May” wonders Dr, Sarat Sahu, a Met expert.
In 1998, it so happened that the extreme heat wave minus the usual coastal winds swept through the coastal to the interiors in Western Odisha, and the long span claimed 2,042 lives.
Even at this time, sometimes, one can be exposed to an overwhelming heat and humidity by a shorts walk or even a bus ride inside the city.
Earlier, considered to be a city not experiencing temperature above 30 to 32 degree c in peak summer, Bhubaneswar now stands among the hot spots in the state.
Down the years, rapid urbanization has resulted in fast disappearance of the green cover within and around the capital city. In addition the unchecked shrinking of water bodies coupled with increasing load of air pollution has further deteriorated the situation.
It is not in case of Bhubaneswar alone but, the scorch of unprecedented heat can be noticed in other parts of the state.
In Odisha, not all the districts experience high temperature but, districts with high industrial activities report the maximum temperature.
1998 had taught a lesson and the preparedness to combat heat wave has been more organized and in addition, the level of awareness among people has also increased.
But that is not with what we should be complacent about to watch the weather through the windows, But it has become time for a war footing exercise at cautioning ourselves to come back and know live with the Nature through adequate preservation and conservation.
Else, history may not forgive us. And the posterity would simply curse.
