Kathmandu, March 28:

While the daily five-hour load-shedding regime has triggerd the sale of emergency lights and caused the prices of emergency lights and candles to soar in the valley, it has caused a decline in the sale of of heaters, rice-cookers, fans and refrigerators.

According to Ramkaji Shrestha, operational manager, Bluebird Departmental Store at Tripureshwor, demand and sale of emergency lights and candles have gone up since the load-shedding began on March 4.

“We used to sell one such item on alternative days on ‘normal days’. But, we have been selling 8-10 items every day after the load-shedding began.” “Prices of such items (emergency lights and candles) have doubled.”

The sale of electronic gadgets like heater, rice-cooker, fan and refrigerator has gone down, said accountant of Gemini Supermarket, Ramkaji, adding: “People cannot

use these items to the fullest due to the power shortage,” he added.

Very few people visit shopping centres in the evening because of the load-shedding, said Deepak Dhakal, manager of Namaste Supermarket at Pulchowk: “Just a few customers visit shopping centres during the load-shedding hours.”

Rajesh Shrestha of Bouddha, preparing for BBS final year exam, said he didn’t get emergency lights in Gemini and Bhat Bhateni supermarkets. “I bought it from a retail shop at a hefty price,” he told this daily.

Students giving SLC examinations are having a tough time due to the load-shedding. “We are finding it hard to make preparations for the exams in the evening, as power goes off for five hours a day,” Yukta Basnet of Baneshwor said, adding that emergency lights do not work for five hours. “We are really having a big problem preparing for the exams due to the load-shedding,” said another SLC examinee Suresh Shrestha, of Balaju.