Despite assurance from RBI regarding adequate stock of Rs 50 and Rs 100 denomination currency notes, mad rush was seen in branches of various banks and post-offices across Gujarat on Sunday.
If it was not enough, people were seen queuing up at grocery shops to buy salt following country-wide rumours of severe shortage. The mad rush for the most essential commodity is like rubbing salt into currency wound of people.
In fact the queues outside banks and post-offices were much longer due to holiday. In many instances people refused to take Rs 2,000 denomination notes as replacement for Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from banks and insisted for smaller denomination notes.
“Rs 2,000 notes are not accepted by vegetable venders, grocers and even in public transport as they don’t have smaller denomination notes return change,” said Neha Thakker, a dance teacher working at a school.
Small co-operative banks in the State are having typical problem of storage of withdrawn Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes. People are coming with bundles of currency notes to deposit in their accounts, says Mukesh Dalal, director of Surat People’s Cooperative Bank, adding that in just couple of days our bank received deposit more than Rs 200 crore and we don’t have adequate space to store bundles currency notes.
According to him, his branch was losing treasury interest and cash was lying uninsured. Some of the cooperative banks in smaller towns have decided not to accept deposit for next 2-3 days.
A 47-year-old person identified as Barakat Sheikh reportedly died on Saturday evening after standing in a long queue for more than two hours to exchange invalid Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. Sheikh, a resident of Moraj village near Ahmedabad felt breathlessness when he was standing in the queue. He was rushed to hospital, but declared dead there. Doctor said that he died due to cardiac arrest.
In a similar incident 52-year-old Harshad leuva cashier with State Bank of India’s CTM branch in Ahmedabad had to rush to a private hospital after he complained breathlessness. leuva attended hundreds of customers thronged to his branch to exchange invalid currency notes. He became unconscious due to over burden and dehydration. He needed to keep in ICU, said a doctor who treated him, adding that now he is out of danger.
Meanwhile, a large number of people are thronging to grocery shops in different parts of Gujarat to purchase salt in wake of widespread rumours about its possible severe shortage. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Civil Supplies Minister Jayesh Radadiya and Chief Secretary JN Singh appealed the people over the last two days not to be carried away by the rumour.
“It is a completely fabricated rumor. There is no shortage of salt in Gujarat. We produce salt for entire India and there cannot be any shortage in the State. I appeal the people not to believe any such rumors and they will continue to get salt” said CM Rupani. Civil supplies minister Jayesh Radadiya appealed to people not to believe rumors.