Competing with the cold wave of North India, the southern state of Tamil Nadu has logged nearly zero degrees Celcius which has left people in the hill districts grappling with biting cold.
Tamil Nadu's Ooty, which is a relatively colder district in the state, is witnessing "unseasonal unseasonal climatic phenomenon" that has also affected farming.
According to official data available, the temperature was recorded at one degree Celsius in Kanthal and Thalaikuntha in Udhagamandalam (Ooty) while the mercury was a notch higher at two degrees Celsius in Botanical Garden. Ooty's Sandynallah was warmer at three degrees celsius.
Residents and environmental activists have raised concerns over the relatively 'unseasonal' cold that has gripped the mountains.
El-nino Effect
V Sivadas of the Nilagiri Environment Social Trust (NEST) believes the change is due to global warming and El-nino effect, a news agency PTI report mentioned.
According to locals, such cold and dry spell is usually witnessed during November-December.
"The onset of the cold is delayed and such a climatic change is a big challenge to the Nilgiris and study should be conducted about this," he said.
The tea plantation, taken up on a large scale in Ooty, also faces challenges amid the unusual weather.
Heavy rains in December and the subsequent cold period now affected tea plantations, R Sukumaran, secretary of a local tea workers union said, expressing fears that this could affect production in the coming months.
Vegetable farmers said the weather has affected cabbages in particular. N Ravichandran, a government employee, said it was difficult to leave home early for work due to the cold conditions.
Though one wears the required attire to keep warm, it was still difficult to drive two-wheelers, leading to health issues such as difficulty in breathing, severe headache and fever.
