With more than five weeks since the announcement on demonetisation came into force, the impact is being felt across the district by citizens, particularly the working classes. Many Automated Teller Machines are yet to be re-opened since November 10, forcing the customers to rely on the available ATM units.
The ATM corner of the State Bank of India’s main branch in the city has been remaining overcrowded for the past three days, although it was a public holiday on Tuesday in the wake of Milad un Nabi.
The demonetisation has hit hard the ready-made garment industry in Puthanatham, a tiny village involved in making ready-made garments. The village, lying on the Tiruchi - Madurai national highway, accounts for 50 promising entrepreneurs and each generates assured employment round-the-year for at least six tailors.
“The purchase from wholesale market across the State has come down since the announcement on demonetisation”, says a cross section of entrepreneurs.
The trade is a cottage industry in the village, with members of families eking out their livelihood on the ‘division of labour’ basis. Barring jeans, the rest of ready-made apparel is manufactured here in plenty. The latest designs of short churis and children's apparel, are manufactured here by well-experienced tailors, who had inherited the professional expertise traditionally down an ancestral lineage.
Production of trade had been affected to a great extent. “With the serious fall in the orders, the traders have started slowing down their production,” they said.
With the New Year and ‘Pongal’ festival round the corner, the demonetisation has come as a severe blow to them, they said.
Aranthangi
At Avanathankottai near Aranthangi, members of the public turned berserk when bank officials informed that the ATM had run out of cash. The villagers, mostly women, who waited for about three hours for their turn, resorted to a stir. Police officials rushed to the spot and pacified them. Steps were taken to enable them to withdraw cash.
