Mount Abu freezes as mercury falls further to minus 2.6C

PALANPUR: As the cold wave across the north India intensified, the mercury fell further below to minus 2.6 degree Celsius on Friday at Mount Abu in Rajasthan. The minimum temperature at the hill station in the Aravalli mountain range went below zero degree Celsius for the first time this year to minus 1 on Thursday.
The chilly weather also engulfed North Gujarat district of Banaskantha with Deesa town recording temperature of 9.6 Degree Celsius, the lowest this winter.The cold winds from the north added to people’s woes as most of them preferred remaining indoors.
Besides Banaskantha, districts like Mehsana, Sabarkantha Aravalli and Patan too reeled under bitter cold, forcing people to keep themselves warm around bonfires by the roadside.
According to the weather department, there was no respite from the cold spell as temperatures are likely to drop further due to heavy snowfall in the hilly states of North India.
Farmers, especially potato growers, are happy as the cold weather is conducive for their Rabi crop.
Deputy director of agriculture department in Palanpur, P K Patel said that even if the mercury falls further it will be beneficial for the crop. “Total area of potato cultivation had has reduced by 5,000 hectare in Banaskantha as the farmers could not afford the high price of seeds. This year potato has been sown in 60,000 hectare while other Rabi crop covered 4.95 lakh hectare in the district,” added Patel.