Lucknow, May 21 -- Uttar Pradesh continued to reel under intense heatwave conditions on Thursday, with Banda district remaining the hottest place in the country for the third consecutive day after recording a maximum temperature of 48.2 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

In Banda, residents were seen seeking relief from the extreme heat by consuming sherbet and drinking water from roadside stalls. Local resident Puneet Saxena blamed deforestation and illegal mining for worsening temperatures in the district.

"It is scorching hot in Banda right now. It is a sort of 'Agni Pariksha' for Banda residents. I believe the reason for this rise in temperature is trees being cut down and illegal mining. Stone ...