Farmers Stitch Sweaters for Cattle As Temperatures Dip Below 6.5°C in Adilabad

Adilabad: People living in the erstwhile Adilabad district are experiencing severe cold wave conditions, with temperatures dropping below 6.5°C. Villages near forests and water bodies are recording the lowest temperatures, with dense fog enveloping the surroundings in the early mornings and evenings.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of continued cold waves in northern Telangana districts. To cope with the chilly weather, residents are bundling up in sweaters, monkey caps, and shawls, while others light bonfires outside their homes to stay warm.

Farmers, concerned for their livestock, have taken creative measures to protect them from the cold. In Arli (T) village, Bheempur mandal, farmer Gona Bhoomaiah stitched "sweaters" from jute and fertiliser bags to cover his cows and bullocks. He also wrapped the cattle shed in polythene covers at night to keep the area warm.

Bhoomaiah emphasised the importance of caring for domestic animals, particularly cows and bullocks, which are crucial to agricultural livelihoods. "We can’t take these animals for granted since they can’t express their discomfort," he said, adding that his family covers their cattle with makeshift sweaters in the evening and removes them by 8 am.

Temperatures have dropped to record lows in several areas, including Bela (6.3°C), Tandra (6.3°C), Pochera (6.4°C), Jainad (6.5°C), and Arli (6.6°C) in Adilabad district. Sirpur (U) in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district recorded a low of 6.7°C.

The cold weather has forced residents to delay outdoor activities, with most avoiding stepping out before 8 am and returning home early in the evenings as temperatures drop further after sunset.