Hyderabad: The city sweltered on Sunday, which was the hottest so far this season at 42.4º Centigrade. But that was certainly better than Adilabad which recorded the season’s highest of 44.4ºC. Mahbubnagar recorded 44ºC.
The Met department said the mercury could rise to 44ºC in May. The Met department said heatwave conditions were likely at isolated places in northern Telangana state, and issued a heatwave warning for Monday. The maximum temperature is likely to be above normal by up to 4ºC degree celsius.
Though there was no heatwave warning for AP, many places recorded temperatures above 40ºC, with Tirupati recording the highest at 43.3ºC.
The heat has driven people indoors, and led to withering of crops over large areas in the state. At Rajarajeswara Swamy temple at Vemulawada, two oxen offered by devotees died due to the heat on Saturday. Records with the temple show that 15 oxen had died in the last 25 days due to the heat and the negligence of the managers of livestock at the cattle shed in Tippapuram.
It is a custom at the Vemulawada temple for devotees who have their wish fulfilled to offer kodelu (oxen) to the lord. The temple terms crores of rupees from the oxen which are located at cattle sheds at Jatragound and Tippapuram. Temple authorities send healthy oxen which are used for the temple to Jatragound and the others to Tippapur where the maintenance is said to be very poor. The oxen at Tippapur are given only dry grass against green grass and other essential feed.
The temple has 300 oxen and 50 cows, of which a majority are at Tippapur and spends Rs 50 lakh on their upkeep. Temple executive officer D. Rajeswar said air-coolers had been installed and a bamboo canopy had been built at Tippapur for the cattle. They would be supplied green grass as early as possible.
