Daringbadi: Residents of Daringbadi in Kandhamal district are questioning the accuracy of the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) temperature gauge after the hill town reported visible frost for two consecutive days despite official readings of 7°C Thursday and 6.5°C Friday.
Locals said frost blanketed open fields, coffee plantations and areas near the college campus—conditions they insist are inconsistent with temperatures above freezing. They alleged the IMD-installed thermometer (temperature gauge) at the Daringbadi block office has been providing inaccurate data for years, creating a persistent mismatch between official readings and ground reality.
Residents and tourists reported extreme cold far beyond what the IMD figures suggest. Observers also pointed out that temperatures in other parts of Kandhamal district routinely drop by 2°C to 3°C below the numbers being published for Daringbadi, deepening suspicion around the accuracy of the local gauge. Community members and journalists raised these concerns with Kandhamal District Collector Vedbhushan November 10.
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He assured them the matter would be flagged to the IMD, but residents say no corrective action has yet been taken. “With frost on the ground, a reading of 7°C or 6.5°C does not make sense,” a resident said. “The instrument needs to be checked or replaced so the data reflects actual conditions.” The IMD has not responded publicly to the latest complaints.
