Dhamnagar: The demonetisation move by the Centre continues to weave an unending spell of woes for citizens across the country with no immediate relief in sight.
Two customers waiting for hours outside ATM counters fainted from exhaustion here Saturday, leading to public outbursts against what is being perceived as an ill thought-out measure to weed out black money.
In Dhamnagar area of Bhadrak district, residents have been going through a trial of fire with banks witnessing unprecedented crowds. Scores of ATMs across the town are closed even as banks are running out of deposit forms, it is alleged.
High denomination notes of `500 and `1,000 were made illegal overnight in a shock announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday, in a televised address to the nation in which he explained that his government was doing this to weed out black money and eliminate the menace of counterfeit notes.
However, citizens have railed against the move as they have been strapped of cash. Daily ATM withdrawals have been limited to `2,000, with a weekly limit of `20,000. Banks have promised to raise the limits after a week, but citizens worry that it might take longer.
“ATMs are lying closed. Banks are too crowded. How will we get some cash? Transactions at banks are also slowing down due to frequent link failure,” said a harried customer waiting outside an ATM. Around 30 ATMs at Dhamnagar, Dobal, Asurali, Kothar, Dhusuri, Betaligan and other places were found to be closed Saturday.
One of the customers who fainted due to exhaustion while standing in queue at an ATM was identified as Bharati Jena (18). Another customer, who was not able to be identified, fainted while waiting in line at Dhamnagar UCO Bank ATM.
Branches of UCO Bank, Canara Bank, and Gramya Bank at Dhusuri and Asurali witnessed huge rush of customers for cash exchange, deposits and withdrawals.
Some bank authorities, however, assured customers not to be worry as things would get back to normal by Sunday. PNN
