Last day to use spiked notes for key bills

New Delhi: People paying household utility bills, fuel, taxes, fees and purchases from co-operative stores through old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 will face huge inconvenience Friday onwards. In the wake of a sudden cash crunch in the market, the government had extended the deadline to make cash payments via defunct currency notes to November 24.

Scores of people complained that the new currency is still short in circulation and the government should further extend the November 24 deadline. “We have been purchasing our grocery from the Kendriya Bhandar as they were accepting the old currency notes. With the deadline to make daily purchases by the defunct notes ending Thursday evening, the daily supplies will take a hit,” complained Diksha Jha, a resident of Preet Vihar area.

Motorists complained that refilling fuel in their vehicles will be a problem post Thursday as till now, old notes were being accepted there. “Me and family have been paying for the fuel through old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in a bid to avoid long queues at the banks and the ATMs. As the cash is still in short supply, the government should extend the deadline so that thousands of daily motorists do not face hassles,” Prabhat Singh, a resident of Savitri Nagar area, said.

Even after 15 days of demonetisation drive, ATMs across the city continued to witness serpentine queues, even though the queues at the banks have started to get shorter.

Meanwhile, a 23-year-old man suffered burn injuries on Thursday after his neighbour allegedly threw acid on him when the vicitm refused to give him a note of Rs 100. Nishan, who runs a small electronic shop, was reportedly heading towards a medical store  near his house in Gautam Vihar area of Northeast Delhi’s New Usmanpur area when the alleged fight took place on Monday night, the police said.

“At around 8.30pm, Nishan was returning home and was near a milk shop when Aasif, his 23-year-old neighbour,  stopped him,” said a senior police officer. In the incident, along with Nishan, a couple too sustained burn injuries when Aasif allegedly flung acid at Nishan. The couple was identified as Aalam and his wife Saira. The officer said that Aasif, allegedly in an inebriated condition, stopped Nishan and asked him for a Rs 100 note. When Nishan refused to give him the note, Aasif started verbally abusing him. This escalated into a scuffle where Aasif, who was carrying a bottle of acid, hit Nishan;s head. The police said that Aasif picked up the broken bottle and fled from the spot. Nishan later went home, splashed water on his face and made the PCR call. He along with Aalam and Saira were rushed to a hospital.