Chennai: Sale of motor pumps and generators has picked up in Chennai and the demand has increased by 20 to 30 per cent due to rains and power outages. The battery and inverter sales have also picked up, confirmed traders in Parry’s corner who are in seasonal business.
“We have placed fresh orders to purchase new motor pumps from Coimbatore and there is a good demand for motor pumps to bale out water. These are huge sized pumps used for agricultural purposes and in Chennai they are used to drain stormwater,” said Mohammad Ibraheem, a wholesale dealer in Parry’s. However, the sale of motor pumps used for the residential purpose is dull as the demand for drinking water has reduced in Chennai. The high power pumps, which can also be operated through diesel generators are also purchased by farmers, he explained.
According to city corporation official, the civic body has positioned about 400 high power motor pumps in low lying areas and there are more than 150 pumps in low lying areas of North Chennai to bale out stormwater from Otteri, Pulianthope, Choolai, Vysarpadi and Perambur. The local ward engineers have been advised to hire motor pumps if the water is not draining through drains, the official said, adding that there is a shortage of motor pumps that are hired out to fresh water and sewer overflow.
There are fresh enquiries for domestic inverters, which can provide power to two fans, two tube lights and a television and the cost of the inverter and wiring comes around Rs 14,000, said N Appu, an electrician based in Sowcarpet. Similarly, the sale of raincoats and umbrellas are also picking up.
The sale of the umbrella, raincoats had picked up, but a lot of parents will come to purchase raincoats only when schools reopen, said Basheeth Ali, a trader at Purasawalkam. Most of the schools are now kept closed in Central Chennai and the sale of raincoats will pick up once when the schools reopen, he added.
When asked whether the rates of raincoats and umbrellas have increased post GST, the traders maintained that the business had been dull till October. “We just want to clear the stocks by November and there is no idea of increasing the price of items purchased for winter season”, the traders said.
