Met department has said that the recent rains is unlikely to bring the temperature down.
In Madhya Pradesh, extremely hot weather conditions due to the heat wave have reportedly claimed 10 lives so far. The hostile weather is not only adversely affecting the health but also the work and business of people.
On the outskirts of Harda in Dudhkutch village, we met Ganesh Devra, who was literally racing against time. With the sun blazing and mercury touching 43degrees, he was busy harvesting the pulse crop on the one acre of land that he has leased. Because of the hot weather, one-third of the pulses crop has already wilted. Time and again, the 24-year-old farmer had to take a break under a mango tree to get some respite from the scorching heat.
"It is very hot for the last three-four days. My pulses are drying up. We have now started taking break from work between 12 to 3pm as it is unbearably hot. We take respite under the tree and have water," Ganesh Devra said.
Most of the farms in the area have pulses ready to be harvested but the hot weather has forced farmers to stay put at home. 40-year-old businessman Tanveer Khan says he is losing business worth thousands everyday as his employees have either fallen sick or are not turning up for work because of the heat.
"I have five JCB machines but none of my staff is reporting for work due to sickness. This is the peak season for my business and because of the hot weather in a way I am facing losses," Mr Khan told NDTV.
On Thursday, there was some rain in eastern Madhya Pradesh but the Met department says it will not bring the temperatures down significantly. Heat wave conditions persist in Gwalior, Chambal, Sagar, Mandla and Sahdol.
"Temperature in south west of Madhya Pradesh like Indore, Bhopal, Hosangabad is stagnant at 41-43 degrees. In places in northern Madhya Pradesh like Gwalior, Chambal, Tikamgarh, Navgaon the temperature is around 46 degrees. Heat wave is persisting in five divisions. No significant dip in temperature is expected in next two-three days," Met Director Anupam Kashyapi told NDTV.