The highest maximum temperature recorded in the past 24 hours was a scorching 47.4°C at Banda in Uttar Pradesh. Heatwave alert: Heatwave continues to bear down on northwest and central India on Monday, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warning of host spell persisting in isolated pockets across Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Bihar and Gujarat.  According to IMD’s official weather warning, major districts of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha are likely to record maximum temperatures above 42°C between April 24 and April 30. On Sunday, Maharashtra recorded country’s highest temperature at 46.9°C at Akola, while Nagpur and several other parts of Vidarbha too reeld under severe heatwave conditions, the weather department officials said. Their forcast said heatwave conditions are likely to continue at isolated places over the region till Tuesday.…