It's been more than two years since children in Uttar Pradesh's anganwadis have been served hot cooked meals, though most other states have resumed them, post pandemic. But India's most populous state, with a high burden of malnutrition, continues to distribute dry rations. The state government has given an assurance that hot meals will be resumed from January 2023.

The heatwave, which is sweeping across the country right now, is causing fires that are swallowing up the standing crops. On April 18, in Majhra village of Unnao in UP, 40 hectares of wheat was lost to a raging fire. Farmers blame delayed response by the fire department, which in turn points fingers at old fire engines, insufficient manpower and bad roads.