Titli survivors’ travails compound as ATMs shutdown due to lack of power

Keeping this in view Andhra Bank, being a lead bank in the district, has deployed mobile ATM vehicles in the cyclone-affected areas.
Image used for representational purpose only.
Image used for representational purpose only.

SRIKAKULAM: As power supply in the cyclone-affected mandals has not yet been restored, many ATMs have been shut down. The ATMs on the premises of banks are functioning with the support of generators while the others have remained shutdown. Keeping this in view Andhra Bank, being a lead bank in the district, has deployed mobile ATM vehicles in the cyclone-affected areas.

Around 60 ATMs are being operated by several banks in Ichchapuram, Palasa and Tekkali segments. However, the majority of them are not working due to lack of power. Though the people have been suffering, particularly due to lack of food and water, unavailability of cash in ATMs has compounded their miseries. The people of the affected villages are taking loans from friends and relatives by promising to return the amount with interest.

“I had Rs 2,000 in my hand on the day when the cyclone hit the place and my pocket became empty three days ago,” said S Laxmi Narayana of Ichchapuram. He also said that he had taken Rs 2,000 loan from a friend promising to return it with interest. Even some people of the Uddanam villages are rushing to Berhampur in Odisha to draw cash from the ATMs.

“Keeping the cash travails of the people in the cyclone-affected areas in view, we have deployed a mobile ATM machine in the cyclone-affected villages,” said P Venkateswara Rao, the lead bank manager. He also said out of the total 60 ATMs in the affected areas, majority of them were not working due to lack of power supply. As much as Rs 10 lakh was withdrawn from the mobile ATM only at Palasa on Sunday. However, the cash would be refilled at the nearby Andhra Bank branch immediately, he said and added that another mobile ATM is likely to be deployed on Wednesday.

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