Baroda cooler than other cities

VADODARA: With the temperatures soaring every day, Barodians might want to take a step back and thank for the green cover that still exists in the city. Data collected by the 108 emergency service shows that Barodians are less affected by the soaring temperatures among the four major cities in the state.
The number of heat-related emergencies registered by the statewide medical emergency service GVK-EMRI shows that cases of fainting and fluctuating blood pressure along with other sickness due to the heat in the city is lesser than Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Surat.
The number of heat-related emergencies in the city was 636 in April while for Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Surat it was 2,730, 1,143 and 643 respectively. This month, till May 21, the figures stood at 617, 2,776, 1,280 and 636 respectively.
With the mercury staying above 40°C in the city during the past week, the extensive green cover in the city contributed to making it easier for people to cope with the summers.
"Vadodara has always been a city where heat-related issues have been comparatively less. In fact, this year there has been a considerable difference especially during May. Also, most of the cases that we received required only basic first aid or a dose of oral rehydration," said a GVK-EMRI official.
"It's very easy to find a shade in the city. Moreover most of the trees in the city are banyan, peepal and other trees that have a wide canopy. Peepal trees are scientifically identified as those which lower temperatures. Fortunately, Barodian soil is naturally supportive of the peepal family," said botanist and officiating head of M S University's department of environmental sciences Arun Arya.
"We experience very little of the dry hot winds or the loo. The surrounding areas of the city including Pavagadh, Jambughoda and Shivrajpur give it proper insulation from these winds," Arya said.
Arya added that the general consciousness among the people in the city have also been found to be higher repeatedly.