Youths enjoy lassi at a roadside shop in Ranchi. Picture by Hardeep Singh

Ranchi, May 25: With the mercury having touched an all-time high in May in Ranchi, people have resorted to lassi and AC.

The temperature was 42.3 degrees Celsius yesterday.

Increase in relative humidity, which was not a usual phenomenon in the city, has forced people to opt more for air-conditioners than coolers. The past episodes of worms in cold drinks bottles have persuaded people for lassi than cold drinks to beat the heat.

The meteorological office record shows that this month has shown an all time high in the mercury levels. Experts of meteorology maintained that the change in the climate of the city could be due to the tsunami waves that occurred last year.

?The recent tsunami can be one of the factors for the change in weather as American scientists have predicted soon after the tsunami struck last year. The tsunami had already made major geographical changes mostly in poles,? said A. Wadood, senior professor in the department of agricultural physics of Birsa Agricultural University.

There has been a drastic drop in the sale of coolers while the AC market has shown tremendous growth this year. ?The reason behind the decrease in sale of coolers is that they have proved inefficient due to increased humidity. This was not usual in Ranchi, therefore AC with humidity control that has more cooling capability is becoming popular,? said Mohammad Gheyasuddin, owner of a home appliances shop.

?Last year, there was a sale of around 200 pieces in April and May while this year the sale of ACs have crossed 350 pieces in May only,? added Gheyasuddin.

Not only domestic but car ACs have also shown around 20 per cent increase in the sale. ?This year, most of my customers who can afford cars are going for AC-fitted vehicles,? said Sunil Singh, owner of Alfa Motors.

While ACs are ruling inside the homes and cars, lassi, thanks to its Indian taste and local flavour, is keeping heads cool on the pavements. Besides lassi, people are also resorting to mango and sattu drinks available at each and every corner of the Main Road. The Firayalal has become the hub for these local drinks where they are available for a meagre sum of Rs 3 to Rs 5 a glass. The softies in Firayalal Complex and Gel Church Complex are also doing good business.

?It is mostly the college students who gather here in the early mornings and evenings. They spend time with friends with a sip of lassi or a scoop of ice cream. Due to the increase in temperature and demand from our customers, even we have included lassi in our menu this year,? said owner of Sen ice-cream parlour in Gel Church Complex.

?The encroachment drive and the traffic measures have affected our business slightly but the increase in mercury level have compensated. This year, because of the police we are unable to stay at a particular area for a long time still we are doing good business as customers throng wherever we stall our vehicle,? said Madan Kumar Barnawal, a local lassiwala.