PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
With the maximum temperature in Dehradun hovering at and above 40 degrees Celsius for some days now, sales of air conditioners and coolers have increased sharply in the city. Retailers state that locals are buying cooling appliances earlier than usual this year due to the intense heat.
They added that sales may increase further if temperatures continue to remain high in the coming weeks. Window air conditioners and desert coolers are currently among the most popular products because they are more affordable and provide effective cooling during peak summer conditions, they said.
Dealer Saurabh Kumar stated that the rise in temperature has led to a noticeable rise in customer footfall at appliance stores. “Sales have increased by nearly 15 to 20 per cent compared to last year. Most customers are coming because the heat has become harder to tolerate. If temperatures rise further, the demand is expected to increase further,” he said.
Another retailer, Sidharth Hurla said that installation requests for air conditioners have increased significantly over the past few days. Due to the growing demand, customers are facing delays in installation appointments and deliveries in some cases. “Technicians are getting booked very quickly. There is a shortage of some cooler models in the market because of the sudden rise in demand,” he added.
Localite Aadil Khan said that he recently bought a cooling appliance as the weather has become increasingly uncomfortable. “Earlier we managed with fans, but now it becomes very difficult to sleep at night because of the heat,” he said. Khan added that although higher electricity bills are a concern, many families feel they have few options during such weather conditions.
Some residents also blamed rapid urbanisation and large-scale cutting of trees in different parts of the city for the rising temperatures. Doonite Deepak Singh said that once known for its pleasant weather and greenery, Dehradun has become noticeably hotter in recent years due to shrinking green cover and increasing construction activities.
