Shopian: When automatic teller machines (ATMs) are shut unnecessarily for weeks amid a deadly pandemic, it obviously will lead to crowding and long queues outside banks. That is what is happening in Shopian town and other villages where SOPs and other guidelines have been forgotten in trying to draw cash from banks.
Worryingly, this is happening when district Shopian is witnessing a rise in Covid cases and the number of active cases is about 1200 in the district.
Though police on Tuesday arrested 14 violators under five FIRs, while 26 others were fined and three shops sealed, but it may not be enough to stop the spread of the virus when people are left with no cash to buy necessary groceries.
The district on Tuesday reported 58 fresh cases of Covid-19.
Locals from Shopian town said that ATMs in Shopian often remain closed since March, after one of them was looted by unknown burglars on the night of March 22. They said that even where the ATMs are open, signs of “no cash” can be seen kept on the machines.
For some years now payments through e-mode have picked up, but many shopkeepers still refuse to be paid through this mode.
Rows of customers were seen outside banks at Shopian’s Batpora, Pinjora and other areas on Tuesday, with no SOPs being followed by those who were in queues.
“Where would we get cash when the ATMs are running cashless? We are forced to crowd together,” said a lady who was waiting for her turn in a queue outside a bank in Shopian town.
Adil Hussain, a local, said that when the ATMs are functional, there is no crowding as people withdraw cash from time to time at their convenience. He said that the authorities are causing the unnecessary crowding by leaving ATMs cashless.
Chief Medical Officer Shopian, Dr Arshad Hussain Tak, said, “We will bring this issue to the notice of the deputy commissioner. However, people themselves should know that these things will create massive problems for them and their families.”

Raashid Hassan