Dimapur, December 19 (MExN): Pensioners in Phek district are having a harrowing time owing to a good number of nettling problems in the “miserable functioning of SBI Phek branch”. The complaints of the pensioners’ association of Phek, point to a possible “gloomiest Christmas ever” if the grievances are not addressed at the earliest. The association today said the lackadaisical attitude of the authorities in concern have led the pensioners and public of Phek into facing a “banking terror”. And the ‘haughty and unfriendly attitude’ of the branch’s manager is the least on the list of grievances, according to the association.
The executives of the district’s pensioners’ organization said the State Bank of India (SBI) branch of Phek is housed in a rather confined “kutcha” (temporary, rough) building which can barely accommodate 15 to 20 people at a time during normal transactions. However, since a couple of months ago, the “bank” has remained jam-packed with customers numbering 40-50 people at a time and there is barely any ‘room to breath’. “Elderly people could not bear the torture. It was reported that four elderly people have fainted at different times while standing in queue for 3-4 hours” the association’s executives lamented in a letter received here.
Customers cannot expect to complete their works in a day or two; government servants have to take casual leave for two-three days just to draw their salary and the bank cannot complete payment of salaries even on the last working days of the month, the pensioners lamented. Also, since the past four-five months, account books have to be updated but the bank has explained that the computers have ‘broken down’ and only one actually working. “Pensioners and elderly customers are at a loss as to how much balance remains in their account and how much they can draw” the pensioners wondered.
“We were made to understand that there are four staff less in the bank. Due to the haughty and unfriendly attitude of the branch manager and some staff, discourage people of any category or NGOs for the matter, to discuss the problem with them. The manager remains in his office chamber and his door is locked outside at all times” the pensioners lamented. “The plight of the old-age pensioners and widows are the worst-hit. Our meager monthly salary had been withheld for the last 3-4 months and we were told that monthly payments will not be made even during Christmas.
If this happens to be true, we shall deem it the gloomiest Christmas ever for all the widowed and elderly people and that we shall not be held to ransom” teh association stated. Requesting that the concern authorities intervene and instill confidence by addressing the ‘gross anomalies’, the association has warned of “uncontrollable and volatile” reaction form the people.
A welfare union of the district, Tizu Area Welfare Union, has also, in a separate note said some SBI Phek branch staffers are likely to be transferred. The authorities are appealed to withdraw the transfer order but deploy more staffers for normal functioning, in the interest of the public’s welfare.
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