Heat in the hills, Shimla sees surge in sale of fans

Navneet Rathore

Shimla, June 15

Shimla, which was once a favourite destination for people seeking relief from the sun in the summer, is facing the impact of heatwave this year.

As a result, the demand for fans in the state capital has skyrocketed.

To beat the heat, residents are buying pedestal and table fans in Shimla. Many people are even travelling to Chandigarh to buy fans.

The sudden rise in the demand for fans has boosted the business of shopkeepers in the town.

Kamal, who runs a hardware and electrical store, said he had ordered 1,000 units of fans, out of which 85 per cent have been sold. He said the demand for fans is still high.

Kamal said the average cost of a fan is Rs 3,500.

“We are selling 10 to 12 units of fans daily. However, the demand for ceiling fans is very less as most of the houses, which are constructed in the town, do not have a provision for such fans,” he added.

Jai Chand, who works as a salesman, said the demand for fans has surged in the summer this year.

“Last year, due to the incessant rainfall, the sale of fans was minimal. However, this year, due to the sweltering heat, their demand has sharply gone up,” Jai said.

“On an average, we are selling four to five units of fans on a daily basis and over the past few weeks, we have sold more than 70 units,” he added.

Vikrant, a resident of Shimla, said the state capital has witnessed a lot of change in the weather in the past few decades.

“I remember when I was a child, the weather used to be much cooler in the summer. I never thought that we would need fans in Shimla,” Vikrant said.

State to receive rainfall from June 18

The state will receive rainfall from June 18. According to the Meteorological Department, a fresh disturbance is likely to affect the North West India from June 18, resulting in rainfall across the state. Neri, a village in Hamirpur district, on Saturday recorded maximum temperature at 46.7°C, which was the highest in the state.

Una (42.8°C), Hamirpur (41.8°C), Bilaspur (42.6°C), Chamba (40.8°C) and Dhaulakuan (42.8°C) witnessed temperatures above the 40 degree mark, while Shimla (30.1°C), Dharamsala (36.1°C), Manali (30.5°C), Kasauli (34.8°C), Solan (36°C), Nahan (38.6°C) and Reckong Peo (32.5°C) recorded temperatures above the 30 degree mark. Kukumseri village in Lahaul and Spiti district recorded the minimum temperature in the state at 6.2°C.