The popular hill station of Ooty, which usually offers tourists a respite from the summer heat due to its cool climate, has recorded its highest-ever temperature of 29°C on April 29.
Also known as Udhagamandalam, the previous all-time high temperature of 28.5°C was recorded on April 29, 1986. The Regional Meterological Centre in Chennai has warned of heatwave conditions at isolated pockets over north interior Tamil Nadu and issued a yellow alert (watch and stay updated) for heatwave conditions till May 3.
The record-breaking temperature was 5.4°C above the average for Ooty. Erode district recorded the highest temperature of 42°C while Chennai recorded 38.6°C. Light rain has been predicted for the southern districts of Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli.
Dr Rajendra Singh, the chairperson of the People's World Commission on Drought and Flood and the founder of the Tarun Bharat Sangh, said that extreme heat and extreme cold are becoming commonplace due to global warming and climate breakdown.
"The phenomenon of rising temperatures is not good for ecology and the environment. The changing phenomenon of temperatures in Ooty is not healthy. This is not healthy for the ecology, human beings and tourists," he said while speaking to OT.
"Reducing greenery and cutting forests [means] we are moving toward a future where temperatures will keep going up. Greenery sequesters carbon dioide in the atmosphere and balances the [amount of] heat. If we reduce greenery then that balance is disturbed. Maybe the government of Ooty should consider increasing the greenery [of the region]."
Meanwhile, Ooty is due to welcome hundreds of visitors when the 10-day Ooty Flower Festival commences on May 10. According to police, traffic regulations will be in place from May 1, and there will be 12 designated parking spaces. The Madras High Court has directed the district collectors of Nilgiris and Dindigul to issue electronic passes for all vehicles entering the hill station from May 7 to June 30 to monitor the influx of tourists.
On average, about 11,509 cars, 1,341 vans, 637 buses and 6,524 two-wheelers enter Ooty during the tourist season. During the off-season, 1,150 cars, 118 vans, 60 buses and 674 two-wheelers enter the Nilgiris every day, a state government’s status report said.
(With inputs from PTI)