Jan Dhan a/c holders in Amritsar queue up outside banks

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 7

Not caring two hoots about social distancing enforced to prevent the spread of Covid-19, a large number of women Jan Dhan account holders were seen lined up in front of bank branches to withdraw money on Tuesday.

They came out of their homes after learning that Rs500 had been credited to the account of Women Jan Dhan account holders.

Branches of banks did not deploy any officials to at least direct the account holders to follow the social-distancing norm.

As a precaution, gates of banks were closed and its holders were let in only after duly carrying out the checks of banking documents and availability of funds in the accounts. The rest of them were informed to wait for the funds to arrive.

Bank officials said Women Jan Dhan accounts were being issued Rs500 under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) in view of the ongoing 21-day countrywide lockdown. They said there were more than 20.39 crore account holders under this category and it would take some time for the amount to reach in each account.

Meanwhile, corona related death of Jaswinder Singh, a retired Superintendent Engineer of the Municipal Corporation and refusal of his family to accept his body caused panic among residents.

Consequently, less number of people and movement of vehicles could be seen on the road as compared to Monday.

People took utmost precaution to remain indoors. Police officials were seen deployed at crosses and intersections, keeping a watch on curfew violation.

Meanwhile, residents of Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar, Mall Mandi area, were irked at the government for not taking note of garbage lifting in localities. They showed non-lifted heaps of garbage during the pandemic.

Parminder Singh, Vinay Aggarwal and Bittu Walia, all residents of the locality, said the Improvement Trust established residential locality was nobody’s baby. They said neither the Trust nor the MC employees ever came to lift the garbage.