Normal business in commercial establishments in Thoothukudi district was affected on Wednesday following demonetisation of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 currency notes.
The common public were affected as hospital, pharmacies and fuel stations refused to accept those currency notes despite the announcement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that they would accept them.
Those manning fuel stations insisted that the customers fill fuel for the entire Rs. 500 claiming that they did not have adequate change to give them. Those customers who handed over Rs. 1,000 for fuel were given change only Rs. 500 notes.
People found it difficult to commute as taxis, autorickshaws and buses refused to take those currency notes. Pilgrims who came to Subramaniaswamy Temple in Tiruchendur were badly affected.
Kanniyakumari
Demonetisation announced by Mr. Modi evoked mixed reaction from the public and business establishments in Kanniyakumari district.
Tourists, who did not carry cash in hand, were left in the lurch. Big and small jewellery shops downed their shutters after conducting trade for a brief period in Nagercoil, Marthandam and other small towns.
Major hotels functioned normally in Nagercoil. However, in other places in the district, they had put up boards that Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 currency notes would not be accepted.
However, some of them accepted these currency notes on humanitarian grounds from tourists from far-off places like Karnataka and northern States, said a hotel owner in Nagercoil.
Railway authorities in Nagercoil, Kanniyakumari and other small stations accepted the notes from the public. However, BSNL and TANGEDCO refused to accept payments with high denomination notes.
While accepting Rs. 500 and Rs.1,000 notes, petrol stations insisted that the customers fill fuel for the full value. Poompuhar Shipping Corporation in Kanniyakumari continued to accept the high denomination currency notes from the tourists who purchased tickets for boat ride to Vivekananda Rock and Tiruvalluvar statue.
Tirunelveli
The sudden announcement on demonetisation has put few patients in a dock in Tirunelveli as hospitals refused to take those high-denomination notes.
A 55-year-old patient, Felix of Uvari, who had come to an eye hospital in Vannarpettai, tried to pay Rs. 16,000 for surgery. However, since he had paid the money in high-value currency notes, the hospital staff refused to take them.
Similarly, the currency notes from Abdul Wahab (63) of Sembikulam too were not taken by the hospital. The hospital authorities advised the patients to turn up for surgery at a later date. Meanwhile, it is learnt that the temples under Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments have planned to open the hundials soon so that the Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 currency notes that are expected to have been donated by devotees could be handed over to banks for exchanging before the deadline of December 31.
Police had to be deployed at the toll plaza in Nanguneri after road users and toll plaza employees entered into a wordy quarrel over the payment of toll with the invalidated currency notes.
