Dense fog throws life out of gear in Amritsar district

Amritsar, December 27

Dense fog cover for the past three consecutive days has thrown life out of gear in the city and the district. The minimum temperature dropped to six degrees Celsius on Wednesday. A thick blanket of fog enveloped the city throughout Wednesday with the sun hardly making its presence felt.

The intensity of fog in the outer areas of the city was severe as residents complained that it made commuting difficult for them. Weather experts predict chilly winds and fog to continue for few more days.

Due to dense fog, vehicles were seen moving at a snail’s pace in a low visibility. Apart from the general public, hawkers, vegetable sellers, food deliverymen and milkmen are also facing difficulty in carrying out their day-to-day work. Even markets, which witnessed rush throughout the day, looked deserted in the early morning and late evening hours.

While the cold weather conditions may have impacted normal life in city, it has certainly brought cheers for farmers in the district. Farmers say cold conditions are conducive for the growth of wheat plants.

Jatinder Singh Gill, Chief Agriculture Officer, said, “So far, the district has not reported frost and as such the weather is favourable for most crops. Even with frost conditions, farmers do not have to worry about the wheat crop. They might have to take extra care of vegetables and fruit trees in case of frost.”

The traffic police have asked residents to take precautions to avoid accidents in the fog. ASI Daljeet Singh, in-charge, traffic education cell, said, “Residents should ensure that fog lights, tail lights, indicators and headlights of their vehicles are in working order. People should use fog and headlights on a low bean for better visibility while driving vehicles in the fog.”