Overpriced Genset Adds To Human Misery In Cyclone-Hit Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: As city residents continue to lead a miserable existence ever since Cyclone Fani knocked out electricity and water supply, owners, stockists and traders in diesel generator (DG) are making capital out of human misery.

With the demand far eclipsing the supply and owners sensing a windfall from the ordeal, DGs have become a sought-after item in these trying times.

DGs comes in various configurations depending on one’s demand and in the range of Rs 15,000 to Rs 1 lakh and above.

A retailer in Patia on the outskirts of the city claimed stocks have run out in major towns of Odisha within days of the cyclone striking the coastal belt. “Even if I manage to get a DG for you from other states, it will take me more than a week if you book today,” he said.

Chinmoy Mohanty, a resident of Kalinga Nagar lamented that dealers are reportedly asking Rs 15,000-20,000 over and above the MRP in a handful of shops where the sets are available.

There are multiple factors that have made DG a costly item post-Cyclone Fani. The prime reason seems to be the ongoing wedding season that has jacked up demand.

Sandhya Rani Patro, a Nayapalli resident whose cousin is getting married said that she even enquired from retailers as far as in Kolkata.

“The retailer is demanding Rs 2 lakh for a DG. It’s not viable for me as the cyclone has already escalated my budget many times over”, she said.

Social gatherings coupled with a sudden rise in domestic consumption has made it an unaffordable item.

The Patia-based retailer said the increased demand for domestic consumption of DGs has led to a yawning mismatch between the demand and supply gap, leading to a spike in price.

Some retailers have also started renting out the DGs on an hourly basis, charging anything in excess of Rs 1500 to Rs 2000. DGs are being hired mostly for the purpose of filling up water tanks and to meet any other exigencies.

“On Monday, a person from Maitri Vihar hired a DG to attend to the medical requirements of his ailing mother at home,” he said.