KATHMANDU: Power back-up machines are the major attaction at the CAN Info-Tech 2010, a six -day Information and Communication Technology (ICT) fair that commenced today at Bhrukutimandap here. Faced with prolonged hours of load-shedding, people are looking for the best power back-up options.

"I am looking for a good inverter," said Anajana Limbu, a School Leaving Certificate (SLC) exam candidate. "I have heard the name of Su-Kam, so here I am," she told The Himalayan Times at the stall. Nepalis are living in the dark for 46 hours a week due to load-shedding.

Inverters are selling like hot cakes in the expo. "Sales are good," said Sudhir Bhattarai of Sine Wave Electronics Pvt Ltd. Varieties of inverters are available in the market from Rs 1,800 to Rs 42,000. The majority of those visiting CAN Info-Tech expo are buyers of small and medium size inverters. "That is because they only want lights," said Bhattarai. The sales of large capacity inverters is not so encouraging, he added.

The six-day expo has 270 stalls of over a hundred national and international ICT companies. Various brands of laptops, computers, security systems, software, UPS, inverters, mobiles, iPods and digital cameras are on display at the expo. Electronic and digital devices of renowned brands including Lenovo, HP, Sony, Samsung, Umax, Logitech, Su-Kam, Brother, Kaspersky, Toshiba, and HCL are being displayed.

Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal inaugurated the Computer Association of Nepal (CAN)'s 16th edition of the expo. In his inaugural speech, he assured that ICT sector that the government is ready to provide needful help for technological development in the country.