Relaxing curfew has brought some relief for residents but many were unable to purchase essential commodities as a majority of bank ATMs displayed ‘out of service' boards on Sunday.
With skyrocketing prices, residents had a tough time. “My salary was credited into my bank account but I could not draw the amount as many ATMs were out of service. I had to take a loan from my neighbour,” fumed Ashraf Ali, a resident of Shalibanda.
Very few ATMs were functioning and people were forced to stand in serpentine queues in the simmering hot sun. With curfew being imposed for the sixth day, residents thronged provision stores to purchase rice, dal and pulses.
No fuel too
To make matters, many fuel stations in the old city displayed ‘No stock' boards and motorists had to travel long distances to fill fuel. Taking advantage of the situation, there were several people selling fuel illegally outside the filling stations. A litre of petrol was being sold for Rs. 75 against the regular price.
With poor supplies of kerosene, the plight of the poor was pitiable. “Purchasing a litre of kerosene for Rs. 40 in the black market was beyond our reach and we are depending on firewood for preparing food,” said Afsiya Bee, a resident of Faluknuma.
Communist Party of India MP Syed Azeez Pasha urged the government to supply milk, rice and vegetables free of cost to residents in curfew bound areas.
Meanwhile, Rythu Bazar authorities said 22 mobile vehicles were operated for selling vegetables in 25 curfew bound areas. In all, 178 tonnes of vegetables were sold in these sanchar vehicles, claimed an Erragadda Rythu Bazar official in a press release issued here.
