Some parts of central India and the southern peninsula saw temperatures running 1.6 to 3 degrees Celsius higher than usual. (File photo). Written by Paramita Datta An intense heatwave is likely to grip the plains of northwest and central India over the next 3–4 days, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Maximum temperatures across northwest, central, and parts of peninsular India — including Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, north interior Karnataka, and parts of Gujarat and Odisha — have remained significantly high. The highest temperature recorded was 44.5°C in Sri Ganganagar (Rajasthan), the IMD said. In eastern India, including Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, maximum temperatures have ranged between 36°C and 40°C. Meanwhile, relatively lower temperatures have been recorded in the Western Himalayan region, parts of northeast India, hill stations, and some coastal areas.…