The sons of two elderly sisters in Palladam, who discovered that the women’s savings of ₹ 46,000 was demonetised cash, have decided to chip in for their medical expenses.
Rangammal (75) and Thangammal (73), living together in a house at Poomalur village panchayat, discovered on Tuesday morning that the currency notes they had secretly saved together were not in use since November 8, 2016. K. Selvaraj, son of Rangammal, told The Hindu on Wednesday over phone, that the sisters told their sons about the money when they were taken to a nearby private hospital for high blood pressure.
A construction labourer in Anupparpalayam, Mr. Selvaraj said that his brother and he, along with the two sons of his aunt Thangammal, decided to support the sisters’ medical expenses.
“They never watch television. They do not know anything about current affairs. They are very old,” Mr. Selvaraj said when asked how the two women kept the demonetised notes with them for the past three years. He further claimed that Rangammal and Thangammal denied having any money when they were asked by their sons in 2016 following demonetisation.
D. Sivasubramanian, Tahsildar of Palladam taluk, said that the Block Development Officer could only pass a resolution recommending the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to exchange the notes.
“However, it is ultimately the RBI’s decision,” he said. The Tahsildar further said that the District Administration could help with the medical expenses under the Chief Minister Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme if the sisters approached the authorities.
However, N. Sathiyamoorthy, Lead District Manager of Tiruppur district, said that it was impossible to exchange the demonetised cash for new currency notes after three years. “They were keeping these notes at their own risk,” he said.
Mr. Sathiyamoorthy said this incident was “a matter of ignorance” as enough awareness was generated following the demonetisation announcement in 2016.
