As the sun continues to rain on the plains, a yellow drizzle in Makdumpur Qazi village, in Kaushmabhi, Allahabad, some 200 kilometres from the state capital, has sent its residents scurrying.
The yellow showers, that started 10 days ago, come down with a pungent odour every day between six and eight in the evening. The drops that don’t dry and evaporate, have left behind a trail of yellow dots on rooftops, concrete floors, dish antennae and the umbrellas which people have made a habit of carrying.
To Makdumpur’s residents, it is a sign that the Gods are angry. While the prayers, chants and fire sacrifices have started, the administration is worried by the so far unexplained phenomena.
Two teams, from the Lucknow-based Indian Toxicology Research Institute and the Allahabad University, have collected samples. Officials at the UP Pollution Control Board say that the drops could be the result of man-made activity and the subsequent release of chemical vapours which are reacting with high temperatures.
Sachidanand Pathak, Kaushmabhi district magistrate, has been assuring villagers that there is no need to fear. “There is every possibility that this could be yet another fallout of climate change. What is worrying is that the drizzle has been happening for a longer time each day,” he says.
A team of doctors has been deputed to monitor any unusual health problems, though villagers claim that the yellow drops neither cause burning nor itching. The only problem is the stench which has forced people to remain indoors at night.