Mangaluru goes cashless; common man's struggles continue on 6th day

[email protected] (CD Network | Suresh)
November 14, 2016

Mangaluru, Nov 14: Even six days after the abolishment of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, the coastal city of Mangaluru has failed to recover from the unexpected shock.

bankque 5

In fact, the demonetization move has affected pretty much every sphere of life — from getting provisions and eating out, to making routine payments such as rent and salaries to domestic help.

While making announcement of demonetization, the government has assured that banks would work on weekends too for exchange of notes. Ironically, on week days too the banks and ATMs are functioning partially thanks to scarcity of notes.

The government on Monday has extended the usage of existing Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 notes for select transactions till 24 November from the earlier deadline of 14 November.

This means that people can now use these notes at government hospitals, government-run cooperative shops, air-ticket counters, milk booths, petrol stations, international airports, to buy tickets at railway stations, to pay for medicines in government and private medical shops, to get cooking gas cylinders, and to pay court fees till 24 November. 

However, thanks to the scarcity of change, the government's relaxation has not improved the situation in the city.

No change in bunks

Petrol bunks are accepting old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, but you can only fill up for amounts in increments of Rs 500. The reason is that the bunk employees don't have Rs 100 notes to return as change. So if you want to fill fuel for, say, Rs 200, chances are you won't get Rs 300 back.

Market Woes

The future for hundreds of vegetable, fruits and other household merchants, who supply daily needs to entire city is in quandary. "From Sunday onwards I have stopped the purchasing of goods and will resume when everything turns to normalcy," says worried vegetable merchant Peter D'Souza.

Abdul Salam, wholesale fruit merchant at the market shares that they have given goods in credit to regular customers. "Since all are transactions are done in Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency, we have no other way out. For some we have given credit and asked our suppliers to wait for some days to clear their dues," he maintains.

Other merchants complain that they don't have enough change to tender with customers. "All customers are giving us Rs 2000 note. If they make business of Rs 200 or Rs 300, we have to give them change in Rs 100 notes. How can it be possible when bank themselves don't have Rs 100 notes," adds another lemon merchant.

Comments

ibbu Saheb
 - 
Monday, 14 Nov 2016

ACCHE DIN AAGAYE... AUR BI ACCHE DIN ANE WALE HAI...
SO KEEP YOUR ENERGY FOR MORE AND MORE ACCHE DIN...

Rikaz
 - 
Monday, 14 Nov 2016

Be patient, Mr. Modi said it would take 50 days.....after 50 days they will withdrew 2,000 and re-initiate new 1,000 currency....wait and see....

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coastaldigest.com news network
June 16,2020

Mangaluru, June 16: A youth has been arrested by the sleuths of Ullal police station on charge of sexually assaulting a minor girl and impregnating her on the outskirts of the city. 

The arrested has been identified as Lavakumar alias Shravan, a resident of Valacchil, who was working in a fast-food outlet at Thokkottu. 

According to the police, the accused had sexually assaulted his owner’s minor daughter. The incident came to light when the girl’s mother came to know that former was pregnant.

It is said that the girl’s mother, who had employed the accused, allowed him to stay in their house. The accused befriended the minor girl and sexually used her.

Based on a complaint filed by the girl’s mother, a case was registered at Ullal police station under Pocso Act. The police arrested him yesterday and produced him before a local court.

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News Network
April 20,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 20: The Kerala government announced the relaxation of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in two zones, allowing among other private vehicles movement in an odd-even basis and dine-in services at hotels from Monday.

State police chief Loknath Behera said the relaxations of restrictions imposed would come into effect in the Green and Orange-B zones in the state from Monday,an official release said.

Earlier, the Left government had colour-coded 14 districts of the state into four zones-- Red, Green, Orange-A and Orange-B, for containing the Covid-19 pandemic. Red zone comprises Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode and Malappuram districts. In this zone, a complete lockdown will be in place until May 3 while two entry and exit points are allowed for carrying essential commodities to coronavirus hotspots. Orange-A zone comprises Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam and Kollam while orange-B zone comprises Alappuzha, Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad, Thrissur and Wayanad.

The lockdown will be in effect until April 24 in this zone and then partial relaxation will be allowed. Kottayam and Idukki come under the Green zone, in which lockdown will be in effect until April 20 and then regulations will be eased. However, large gatherings, the functioning of educational institutions, religious functions, celebrations and travel outside the district will not be allowed in this zone.

Not more than 20 people are allowed to take part in weddings and funerals, according to government instructions. On the functioning of courts, the release said, "Courts in the Green and Orange-B zones will re-open on April 21 while that in Orange-A zone will start functioning from April 25. The courts will function with 33 per cent of staff. The cases will be heard via video conferencing."

Meanwhile, the Bankers' Council has announced that banks will function as per the usual timings from Monday in the state except four districts falling under the Red zone. The Transport Ministry has clarifiedthat public transport won't be allowed to ply in the state during the lockdown period. "Inter-district travel will not be allowed despite relaxations in the state, but essential services such as medical services, food supplies will not be stopped. However, in case of emergency, inter-district travel will be allowed with an affidavit prepared by the traveller," Behra said in a release.

On the implementation of the odd-even scheme for private vehicles, the police said, "Vehicles with odd numbers will be permitted on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Those with even numbers will be allowed on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays." Woman drivers travelling solo or with dependants are also exempted from it, police said. On Sundays, only those working for essential services are allowed to use their vehicles.

All education institutions, cinema halls, shopping malls, public parks, bars, places of worship will remain closed in all zones of the state. The health department and local administration, which carry out sanitation work before the monsoon, are allowed to operate. Four-wheelers are permitted to carry two passengers besides the driver and in case of a two-wheeler, only the driver will be allowed while the pillion rider is allowed in case the person is a family member.

On Dine-in services, a government order said it is allowed at hotels and restaurants until 7 PM in Green and Orange-B zone from Monday and in Orange-A zone from April 24. However, take-away counters can function until 8 PM, it said. Kerala on Sunday reported two positive cases of Covid-19 in the state taking the total number of affected to 401 while the health department announced that 13 people were cured.

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coastaldigest.com news network
May 19,2020

Mangaluru, May 19: With lockdown 4.0 coming into force, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) started bus services from Mangaluru to various destinations today.

According to officials, buses started plying from Mangaluru to Bengaluru, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Hubballi and other areas with limited passengers. A bus, which left for Bengaluru from Mangaluru had less than 30 passengers on board.

“Depending on the demand, the buses will be operated with 50% of the capacity. Measures have been taken to ensure that social distancing norms are adhered to while purchasing tickets from the counter,” said S N Arun, KSRTC Divisional Controller.

However, the KSRTC is yet to take a decision on operating Nagarasarige buses in the city. 

“Only those destinations, which can be reached by 7 pm has been considered by the KSRTC while operating the buses. As a result, after 11 am, no buses will travel to Bengaluru from Mangaluru. Further, permission will not be accorded for the travelling of pregnant women, children below 10 years old and senior citizens above 60 years old. Thermal scanning is used for checking the temperature of the passengers before boarding the buses. All the buses are sanitised after each trip,” he said.

Further, he said the contact number, name and address of the passengers are collected by the officials during the travel.

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