monalisa patsani, post news network, Bhubaneswar, May 30: The heatwave condition that plagued the city for the past seven days or so may have subsided a bit, but the mercury level is still high and people venturing out of their homes often come across such situations when they find themselves in front of some soda vending van parked by the roadside and ordering a glass of refreshing ‘cola’. And it’s cheap too, compared to their branded counterparts.
But how good it is to welcome this ‘refreshing’ moment back in your life over and over again? Many, it is obvious, want to do so and in fact, end up doing so. For this reason only, many small-time traders have either switched business or have diversified into this ‘cool’ drink selling business. They are even, if what they say are to be believed, doing brisk business. A soda vending van costs Rs3 to Rs4 lakh. These traders, spotting the trend early during the onset of summer, bought such a van and are now smiling their way to the bank! They are obviously happy with the return they are getting on their investment.
It’s good business
K Tuna Patra who earlier used to run a snack shop, recently bought a soda machine van and is now running his business near Kalpana square. “I had a snack shop near Kalpana square, but it was not doing well. I heard that soda van machine owners are doing good business in the city. That is why I invested around Rs3 lakh and started this business. I have done it for the last two months. People love these drinks, available in different flavours and it’s cheap too. A glass costs merely Rs5.” And there are several flavours to choose from.
Sadashiv Sahoo, another soda drink seller near Rasulgarh seconds Patra. “I have other businesses too, but I have started this business because of its popularity in the state. I bought the van for Rs4 lakh and so far it’s doing a good business. In the morning we fill the tank with water and put the flavoured mixture into it. People like it, which is good for us.”
No one cares about health
Customers, meanwhile, are also happy about the drinks, as they get ample varieties at throwaway prices. “They sell different flavours, such as lemon, cola, masala and others; I like all of these . It is the cheapest way to quench our thirst. It’s much cheaper in comparison to lassi or the branded cold drinks. I don’t know whether it’s good for health or not, but it tastes good,” said Prasanta Kumar Behara, a salesperson, while gulping down a ‘cola’-flavoured soda drink at Kalpana Square.
Dipakranjan Panda, who works in a private company, is another ‘aam’ soda drink lover. “It’s too hot these days; so whatever satisfies our thirst and is cheaper attracts us. Herein we get different varieties of drink that too for `5 only. Though it tastes good, but we can’t compare it to other branded cold drinks available in the market. And we never bother about the quality of the drink; it tastes good so we drink it,” said Panda.
Beware! Says expert
It is, however, important for all to remember that most of these soda machine van owners in this city fill the tanks of the drink-making van with tap water of slum areas and even use their hands to mix the chemicals that give the drinks its colours and flavours. These indeed pose major threats to hygiene and health. Experts say, these carbonated drinks are made by mixing harmful chemicals into the water, collected from questionable sources.
Health experts, in fact, caution the people against the intake of these drinks. “Regular consumption of anything is harmful for health. Such drinks as these have high sugar composition, because of which there are 80 per cent chances of people, who regularly consume these, becoming obese. The high sodium level in these drinks may even cause heart-related ailments, if not a heart attack and these drinks are highly acidic. Children should never be allowed to consume such drinks as these may damage the enamel of the teeth,” said Dr Swarnalata Das, a doctor based in Sahid Nagar.
She added, “Regular intake of such drinks may damage the digestive system of a person too. Another factor is that the water that is used to prepare these is not hygienic as they mostly use tap water amidst unhygienic surroundings.”