The coins having denomination of Rs 10 seems be have no takers in the Dehradun and other areas of State. The arrival of large number of fake 10 Rupee coins in the market and the news that these coins have infiltrated the banks too has created a situation of panic among the shopkeepers. In such a scenario most of the shop owners prefer to keep a distance from these coins. The chaos is so high that some small bank branches are also returning the people who are visiting them to deposit these coins. To add to the confusion, a message is circulating in the social media in which it is claimed that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has declared the Rs 10 coin invalid.
When contacted the Deputy Zonal Manager Dena Bank, Keshav Ram said that RBI has not issued any guidelines regarding putting ban on Rs 10 coin. He said that all branches of his bank are accepting the coin and the bank have not received any complaint about non receipt of these coins. The State convener of United forum of bank unions of Uttarakhand, Jagmohan Mehendirata told The Pioneer that to refuse currency in any form is crime under sections 489 A and 489 E of Indian Penal Code (IPC). He however added that people of the lower strata of the society like rickshaw pullers, daily wagers and roadside vendors are affected by the episode and it is high time that RBI should come forward and clear the confusion. The Manager of lead bank (Punjab National Bank) Gopal Singh Rana said that all banks are accepting Rs 10 coins. He accepted that problem is arising in small branches due to staff shortage.
Assurances of bankers notwithstanding, the Rs 10 coin is hardly finding favor among small shopkeepers. “A was shocked when the vegetable vendor refused to take coin and asked for asked for note instead. The Government should do something to convince people,’’ said Suman Naithani a resident of Nehru Colony.