Bhubaneswar, Dec. 15: Consumers made a beeline at payment counters of public utilities such as electricity and water supply as today was the last day they could make payments with the scrapped Rs 500 notes.
While payments in the old note were easily accepted at the water and electricity counters, disappointment was in store for those who went to pay bills at BSNL counters as telecom employees went on a strike.
"Since I realised that today is the last day to use the old currency notes for bill payments, I came to pay my landline bill at the BSNL counter at the Postmaster General's Office. I was disappointed to find the counters closed. When I enquired, I was told that that the employees were on strike," said Patia resident Seshadev Rath, a businessman.
"I am a businessman and don't have much time to spare. I had taken out time today to pay the bill. I have three old Rs 500 notes. I have already paid my electricity bill and holding tax using the old notes. I wanted to pay my landline bill with the remaining old notes. I was very disappointed to find the counters closed," said 45-year-old Rath.
The BSNL employees went on a state-wide strike today demanding formation of a subsidiary tower company.
"The employees went on strike for their demands they put before the higher authorities. What should we do if they refused to work?" asked a senior official of BSNL.
On November 8, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.
However, the government had allowed payments of various bills using the scrapped notes at public utilities till November 24 and later extended it to December 15 on the condition that they made the payments in old Rs 500 notes only.
Although the bill payments were smooth for those who rushed to pay their electricity and water bills and holding tax at the counters of Central Electricity Supply Utility, Public Health Engineering Organsation and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation respectively today, there were problems for those who chose to pay their water bills at the post offices since officials there refused to accept the payment.
"I knew that the post office and the PHEO had joined hands to collect water bills. I went to a counter of the PHEO at Kharavela Nagar early this morning, but when I saw long queues, I decided to come to the post office to make the payment. However, more disappointment was in store for me. The officials here refused to accept payments," said 58-year-old Krishna Priya Dash, a resident of Unit I.
Medicine shops had also been allowed to accept payments in the scrapped currency notes till the midnight of December 15.
Ajay Kumar Subuddhi, who runs a medicine shop in Kharavela Nagar area, said medicines were not like food items that people can buy and store for future use.
"The government has allowed us to accept the payment in old notes, but it is not of much use either to us or the customers since the customers will take medicines only according to their prescriptions," said Subuddhi.
The BMC, which received holding taxes in the scrapped currency notes till today, remained the most favourite place for people to make use of the demonetised notes. "I came here and paid my arrears for one year. I made the payment in the old notes today," said Laxmipriya Das, who own a two-storey house in Laxmi Sagar.
