People suffer due to closure of bank in Bandipora
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Mir TariqBandipora, Sep 01: Pensioners are facing tough time in drawing their retirement fund from the local J &K Bank branch even after lifting of curfew in this north Kashmir district of Bandipora.Thousands of elderly persons, mostly former teachers and other employees have been visiting the J& K Bank (T.P branch) treasury to draw their pension from the last three days after curfew was lifted in the district. But they have to return empty handed as the bank branch dealing with the monthly pay of employees and pensioners’ pension fund is still closed even after the curfew was lifted from the district.
"We have been informed by the district administration that banks will remain open during the curfew time, but the banks here are closed even after of lifting of curfew," said Muhammad Ramzan, one of the pensioners at J & K (TP branch), adding, "We are visiting the bank from previous three days to draw our pension fund, but we are left disappointed to find the bank closed."Besides pensioners, hundreds of employees can also be noticed waiting outside the bank to withdraw their monthly pay.Blaming the district administration, an employee pleading anonymity told Rising Kashmir that it is due to the lackadaisical attitude of the administration that banks are still closed. Interestingly even as the curfew passes have been issued to bank employees to reach their offices in order to serve the needy ones, here in Bandipora, banks are still closed thus posing problems to the pensioners, senior citizens and employees.“After the announcement of deputy commissioner, Bandipora that banks will remain open for the service of employees and pensioners, we left our homes to withdraw pension funds, but from the last three days, the local branch is closed. We informed DC, but to no avail," complained Ghulam Muhammad Mir, a pensioner, adding, "We have no money in our pocket. To my family my pension fund is only hope.""Almost all the employees including manager of the bank are residents of Bandipora residing in close proximity to the Bank office, but they don’t bother to attend office due to reasons best known to them," said a group of pensioners, employees and locals.The district officers of the Bank were not available for comment.