Room cooler stalls pop up in Pindi

RAWALPINDI:

As the summer season is just around the corner, traders have set up stalls for replenishing locally-manufactured room coolers with dried grass or vetiver.

These cooler machines are designed to draw wind from a mesh of dried grass that is dampened with water. These locally made room coolers are relatedly cheaper than the air conditioners and they are cheaper to maintain.

Traders said that this year, the rate of dried grass or straw has also tripled. Prices of room coolers in the open market have also increased exponentially.

Piles of dried grass can be seen strewn in the nooks and corners of the city. Wholesalers and retailers sell these dried-up grass used for filling Lahori room coolers.

Straw seller Mubeen Khan said that dried grass or straw is usually useful for one season. This straw gets spoiled due to being dampened in water all the time and exhausted the utility to cool the water in the next season. “It is necessary to change straw every year,” he said.

Chinese room coolers are also being sold in the open market. Prices of Chinese-made room coolers are much lower than those manufactured by large national or multinational companies.

At present, different rates are being charged for replenishing the straw in Lahori room coolers. Rs1,200 are being charged for filling normal quality straws in room coolers while Rs1,700 to Rs2,000 are being charged for filling good quality straws and medium quality straws respectively. Rs500 is being charged for cleaning room coolers.

In addition, the prices of room coolers have also increased. The normal small room cooler with a plastic body is available at Rs12,000, medium size at Rs14,000 and large size at Rs17,000.

A small room cooler made of zinc is being sold for Rs12,500, a medium one for Rs15,000 and a large size room cooler between Rs22,000 and Rs28,000. In the open market, Chinese room coolers are available between Rs10,000 and Rs15,000, said Allah Ditta, owner of Lahori room coolers shop.

Read: Karachi fears dehydration as summer approaches

Room coolers made of soft zinc are cheaper, while those of good and durable quality coolers are more expensive.

Citizen Ammar Yasir said that air conditioners were expensive and people with low-income have no choice but to buy a locally manufactured room cooler.

“This time around, traders have jacked up the prices of room cooler between Rs3,000 and Rs5,000,” citizen Moeez Abbas said.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22^nd, 2022.