Chaos across Delhi as people fight for ‘change’

With bank ATMs shut on Wednesday, thousands of people struggle to pay for daily essentials.

With the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from Tuesday midnight, chaos ruled the day at the fuel stations and the Mother Dairy booths across the city, which witnessed mad rush of people to get change. The outlet operators faced a harrowing time dealing with the customers as they ran out of Rs 100 notes in the early hours, leading to commotion and even quarrels.

Tempers soared high as the closure of banks and ATMs on the day left no option for the people to get change. In his announcement on demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, the Prime Minister said that such notes will be accepted for 72 hours starting from midnight of Tuesday at petrol pumps and milk booths run by the government.

“Most of the people are demanding petrol or diesel of Rs 100-200 and giving Rs 1,000 in cash. We have already run out of change, but the people are unrelenting and the queues seem never ending. The government should have provided us with adequate change, especially Rs 100 notes, before implementing such a big decision,” Brij Bhushan Tiwari, a city petrol pump owner said.

“We are not here for money exchange. Most of the people are not willing to understand that,” he added. Similar scenes were witnessed at other petrol pumps across the city. Even as he hailed the decision, another city petrol pump owner said the government should have made prior arrangements before announcing the decision. “Undoubtedly, it is a good decision and will help in curbing black money. But this has resulted in needless harassment, both for pump operators and the common man. If we were supplied with adequate number of Rs 100 notes, these quarrels could have been avoided,” said the pump owner.

People with two-wheelers with low fuel storage capacity had to face problem as several petrol pumps were permitting purchase only in multiples of Rs 500. “If I buy petrol of Rs 500, it will exceed the storage capacity of my scooter, so where do I store the extra fuel,” asked a college student said.

Since the announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday night, the demonetisation move has attracted reactions from all and sundry. Some hailed the decision, while others criticised the government for the “needless harassment.”

“I have run out of whatever change I had and I am compelled to ask customers to buy milk in multiples of Rs 500 or turn them back. Most of the customers do not require so much milk so I have to turn them back,” Brajesh Kumar Mishra, a milk booth owner said.