Despite the arrangements made by the district administration, social organisations and some Samaritans, the cold conditions here continue to cause severe hardship for those without shelter. About seven people are suspected to have died from cold during the past week in the district.
Dense fog enveloped the entire district on Sunday forcing people stay indoors till the air cleared to allow the sunlight through. Barring few service industry enterprises like automobile service centres and restaurants, Sunday witnessed almost a stand still on the roads with thick fog and temperature as low as 5 degrees Celsius.
The effect of snowfall predicted in the upper mountainous areas of the state cast its effect on plains. However the twin cities of Haridwar -Rishikesh reported good weather even on Sunday.
An employee at an automobile enterprise in Haidwar industrial area, Sonu said, “When I started from Rishikesh in the morning it was not foggy but as I proceeded towards Haridwar the fog kept on becoming thicker and the cold became harsher. At 9 am visibility was reduced to one feet and no one could be spotted on roads,” he averred.
The Haridwar city mayor Manoj Garg told The Pioneer that at about 100 public locations in the city wood stoves (alav) have been provided by the municipal corporation. Forest dept has been asked to provide more supply of firewood to help the shelterless keep warm.
Wood stoves have been arranged at sites near the Haridwar railway station, Har Ki Paidi, Ranipur Mod, Jwalapur intersections, some shrines and other public places, added Garg.
Meanwhile, two unidentified persons died in a night shelter on Friday-Saturday and one died in hospital on Sunday. However. it is yet to be confirmed by the district hospital authorities whether the persons died on account of the cold or some other reason.
“It is suspected that about seven people have died during this past week due to reasons related with the cold. Some patients were admitted for cardiac failure and stroke which could be on account of this intense cold,” said Dr H K Singh from the district hospital. Situation is really pathetic in many parts of the State.