Cyclone Vardah drives earnings of tree pruners, masons, plumbers

Chennai: Cyclone Vardah may have turned lives of Chennaiites upside down. But this may have come as a blessing in disguise for some people. A week after Vardah struck the city, the demand for horticulturalists has gone up along with plumbers, electricians and masons.

“People have realised the importance of tree management, after losing their green cover to the squally winds of the cyclone,” said S. Janakiraman, who owns a horticulture shop. “Sales of pole pruners and gardening items have increased by around 30 to 40 per cent,” he said.

Echoing the same, M. Francis, another agricultural shop owner, said there is an increase in the sales of chainsaw and pole pruners after the cyclone hit.  “Chainsaw sales were up to cut the trees that had collapsed during the cyclone,” he added.

Vardah cyclone, which largely affected the economically backward section of the city, is in a way helping them to regain their livelihood. C. Armugam, who was running a vegetable shop under a tree shade at Madambakkam, was devastated after the tree collapsed. He has not given up on his life, as he now sells candles going from door-to-door in the locality. “Though I am upset about the loss, I am looking out for ways to rebuild my life,” he said.

Unlike last year, the candle-manufacturing units in the city see no booming sales.  “There is a rise in sales after the cyclone, due to extending power shortage. But it is not so good like last year,” said A. Raja, who runs a candle making unit.

As the havoc led to the collapsing of vulnerable building structures and uprooting of trees, masons and labourers are in demand. “People are also willing to pay me double the amount of my usual pay. After all, getting casual labourers for felling, removing trees and trunks is difficult. Usually we charge between '1,000 and Rs 1,500 for cutting an uprooted tree but it rose to '2,000 and above on a daily basis,” said a sweeper in Velachery. “Though Varadah created irreparable loss it helped us gain monetary profit,” he said.

The cyclone did not spare the water supply and storage tanks but it proved helpful for plumbers and electricians. “Within a week, I could make a profit of Rs 3,000, which otherwise takes two to three weeks before the cyclone,” said S. Hari, a plumber from Perambur. “Fixing pipelines that were blocked due to waste accumulation is fetching us good profits,” he added. Also, work to mend collapsed walls is picking up after the cyclone. “I am earning Rs 200 more each day for working to catch up with the demand. Even though it is not a very big profit, customers have been increasing each day,” said V. Saravana, a mason.

Having witnessed incessant power failure, people are opting for alternatives in inverters and generators. “There is more than 20 per cent increase in our sales. We are selling inverters and batteries together for Rs 50,000. It’s better than rest of the year,” said V. Ramamurthy, Apex Powelec UPS and Inverters.