Cuttack: With the rise in mercury level, the demand for traditional drinks like lassi, sugarcane juice, tender coconut and mint-flavoured water is picking up in the Silver City here.
Many lassi and traditional drinks stalls have come up at Dolamundai, College Square, Buxibazar, Alisa Bazar, Chandi temple Square, Bajrakabati Road, Chhatrabazar and other places of the city.
Usually, vendors start selling lassi and other traditional drinks a few days ahead of the Mahashivratri festival, that falls in February or March every year, and continue their business till Rath Yatra which is organised in the month of June or July, said a few locals.
Lassi vendors usually churn yogurt, cream, sugar, cashew, raisin, cherry and ice to prepare a delicious drink. This year, they are charging anywhere between `50 and `75 for a glass of lassi. Even, some vendors are offering sugar-free lassi for people suffering from diabetes, they added.
However, school and college students are opting for sugarcane juice and mint-flavoured water to keep them hydrated. The vendors are charging `15 for a glass of sugarcane juice and `10 for a glass of mint-flavoured water.
“Last year, lassi business was severely affected due to Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns to tackle the highly-infectious virus. We are expecting a good business this year,” said Santosh Kumar Behera, a lassi vendor.
Many locals, meanwhile, opined that the food safety officials of the city should launch a drive to check the use of poor quality ingredients by the lassi vendors.
“We have a special liking for lassi and other traditional drinks. But, we have no idea about the quality of ice, yogurt and other ingredients being used by the lassi vendors. The authorities concerned should look into the issue and take appropriate action to ensure food safety,” Nikita Sahoo, a lassi lover.
