Concern of fellow being triumphs over cash

Doctors, grocers, vendors provide services first and allow people to pay later

Rajendra, a hotelier in Guntur, maintains a bill book and allows his customers to pay later.—File Photo: T. Vijaya Kumar; - T VIJAYA KUMAR

The demonetisation crisis has touched all, even those living in interior villages. While people jostled with each other at banks to exchange their old notes for new ones and waited long bitter hours to withdraw money from ATMs, concern for the plight of the fellow human triumphed over the call of cash. Doctors were the first to respond announcing that they will treat patients first and ask for money only later. The president of Ongole chapter of the Indian Medical Association and head of a multi-speciality hospital, Alluri Bhaskar Rao, said that the association members decided to attend to medical emergencies and collect fees later. “This is a major concession considering that none of the hospitals admits patients without payment of an advance,” said the relative of a patient.

“Many of the patients who visit us we know them for long. We understand the situation and have asked them to pay in instalments,” explains K. Jayasekhar who runs the Prasad Orthopedic Hospital in Ongole.

A general physician in Chebrolu village in East Godavari district decided not to collect the consultation fee of Rs.40 from patients, some of whom he has been treating for four decades, until “normalcy is restored”. A joint replacement specialist in Guntur announced that he would perform operations without taking money and the patients could pay up later.

Trust matters

The demonetisation crisis has compelled many to trust their regular customers. A grocery shop owner in Ongole N. Narasimha Rao says, “We are giving credit to our regular customers”.

Vegetable vendor Adilakshmi is not worried about any of her customers. “I know most of my customers by name and I will take my money once the situation eases,” she says, adding some of them had helped her in the past by giving a small loan when she was in dire need of cash. Tirupati-based flower vendor Bala Gurappa is trying to build goodwill for a later date by not collecting money for purchases less than Rs.100. “People are unable to provide me small change and even I am not in a position if they hand out a Rs.100 note. This is beneficial for both,” says Bala Gurappa, proud about the win-win situation idea.

Daily labourer of Anantapur Narayana gives all credit to the owner of the grocery shop.

“I am going to work everyday, but the contractor has not been paying me saying that he had no money. If not for the kind grocer, my kids would have had to sleep with empty stomachs,” he says with gratitude reflecting in eyes.