Kerala - Kochi   

When ironing becomes dearer

Photo: Thulasi Kakkat

FOR THAT IMMACULATE LOOK:An ironing outfit in Kochi.—

KOCHI: From the look of it, the visits to the neighbourhood ironing outfit to get one's dress ironed may soon become fewer.

For, launderers in Kochi have just raised the charge of their service citing the shortage of charcoal. Thus, the cost of pressing a shirt for which they charged Rs. 3.50 till a month ago has gone up to Rs. 5 while getting that favourite sari wrinkle free would now cost Rs. 10.

Nagendran, who runs Mookambika Laundry at Padivattom, was among the few who tried resisting a hike before giving in at last.

“I could not have survived without increasing the price. The cost of one sack of charcoal increased by Rs. 300 in just a couple of months,” he said. The cost of charcoal, he says, jumped up from Rs. 400 to Rs. 700 during the period.

His shop which otherwise opens at 6 a.m. remained shut till 11 a.m. on Monday as he ran out of charcoal. And at last when he approached the vendor for the much needed stuff there were more takers than could be possibly satisfied.

Seeing that the demand out paced supply, the suppliers found it ripe to pocket a few additional bucks.

Thus, Nagendran had to pay Rs. 750 this time to take his delivery.

While coconut shell charcoal was brought to the city from places like Cherthala, charcoal from burnt wood came in mostly from neighbouring Tamil Nadu. If Nagendran is to be believed heavy rain in Tuticorin, the main source of wood charcoal, hit the supply from there.

Adding to the woes is the heavily starched fabrics. For, it takes pressing for longer time than normal to straighten out the wrinkles. Longer pressing means burning up that much more charcoal. So, the moment someone turns up with starched items, more wrinkles appear on Nagendran's face.

Meanwhile, even the most dedicated customers of launderers are having second thoughts.

“Saving power coupled with convenience was what prompted me to go to the launderer in the first place. But at the present rate of getting ten of my shirts pressed will cost me Rs. 50. Now, that isn't much I am saving there, right,” asks Ranjith, who works for an animation firm in the city.

Nagendran says that there had indeed been a drop in the number of pieces people brought to get ironed.

The everyday wear items had come down with launderer's service being utilised only for clothes meant for occasions.

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