Odisha’s capital city Bhubaneswar sizzled at 43.8°C on Monday, making the heat unbearable for people who could not step out of their houses after 10am.

What has made the matter worse is the ongoing power cuts in Bhubaneswar and other parts of the state.

Many places in Odisha on Monday recorded temperatures above 40°C. Sambalpur recorded the highest temperature of 45.3°C.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) also sounded a heatwave warning and the Odisha government cautioned people to stay indoors. “Maximum temperature is likely to be above normal by 4 to 6 degrees Celsius at a few places over the districts of Odisha during the next two days. Consequently, hot and discomfort weather is likely during the next three days,” the IMD said.

While the heatwave continues and people are sizzling under gruelling heat, the ongoing power outages have sparked public discontentment.

There was a power cut when energy minister Pratap Keshari Deb was attending an all-faith prayer meet at the train accident site in Bahanaga. The power outage at the event put Deb in an embarrassing situation. The Congress organised a demonstration in front of the minister’s official residence in Bhubaneswar with lanterns and hand fans. They also hurled tomatoes at his residence, holding him responsible for the unscheduled and unplanned power cuts.