Intense cold wave that has been sweeping across North India for the last few days  has already  taken  a toll of 12 lives out of whom nine are reported to be from  Uttar Pradesh and three from Punjab. The situation has been made worsened by the dense fog that is coupled with it. This has resulted in low visibility which has affected flight operations and delaying of trains in different routes. Some parts of the hilly regions of the North India states are reported to be reeling under temperatures below the freezing point. Thus normal life is totally disrupted in those areas.