If there’s anything that’s a must to any Hyderabadi this summer, then it has to be a tender coconut. Barely a half glass of tender coconut water can save a man’s life in summer, says experts.

Tender coconut was once an everyone’s fruit in Hyderabad. But, now it’s something that makes an average man think twice before quenching his thirst. The prices of tender coconuts have gone so high that each fruit is being sold for more than 15 bucks, which is costlier than a soft drink.

Tender coconut water is supposedly a must to all those who step out of their homes in summer. Even news channels widely promoted tender coconuts and appealed people to switch to tender coconuts from soft drinks. But none cared to look into the prices of the fruits.

While each tender coconut fruit cost less than five bucks in East Godavari district in the same state, the price of the same is more than fifteen rupees in the capital city.

Yadaiah, a vendor in one of the busiest centres in Hyderabad, said : “We purchase each fruit for 12 rupees and what’s the point if we don’t sell it for 17 rupees?” On the other hand, soda hubs popped up in the market that are apparently selling a glass full of soda in different flavours for just five rupees. Yes, that glass of dirty water mixed with artificial flavor and colours can be very dangerous, but then that’s the best alternative for the thirty people.

It’s the duty of the government to look into this issue and reduce the tender coconut prices so that people in Hyderabad will not be throwing  lives in risk by drinking cheap soft drinks. (Phani)