When the entire city looks to get away from the summer heat, the outlets of the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) eagerly await this season, as they expect the sale of chilled beer to soar along with the mercury. Maybe not this time, and that is because of the power cuts.
With the mercury level showing a gradual climb, there is already a beeline for beer at these outlets. But, most people return empty-handed because the beer is as warm as the weather.
Almost all the shops have very minimum refrigeration capacity. Once the chilled stock is sold, one never knows when the next batch will get chilled, because of the staggered power cut that is of two or three hours per schedule.
Most of the shops either ask the customers to take a warm beer or be content with whatever level of chillness that could be got out of the available power.
K. Raja, a salesman in a TASMAC outlet at Ramanathapuram says that five per cent to 10 per cent of the customers agree to a warm beer. Ten to 15 per cent of the customers prefer taking the warm beer home for cooling it whenever power supply resumes. Twenty to 30 per cent of the customers go back disappointed.
N. Vadivel, a consumer says bars in hotels have alternative power generation options. But, not all can afford the extra 60 per cent to 70 per cent cost.
