Udupi: Indian currency of the Rs 1000 and Rs 500 denominations were demonetised on November 8, 2016. Almost two years later, some of these demonetised notes still seem to have found their way to the hundis at the Kollur Mookambika Temple.
These notes, now valueless, were found by the temple authorities as they were counting the notes collected in the hundis following the Navaratri celebrations.
Since the temple authorities decided to document the process, they noticed that apart from the new currency notes, coins, dollars, gold and silver items, the hundi contained the old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.
As the temple authorities have been receiving the invalid notes ever since the demonetisation, they have decided to count them separately.
Their main concern right now is the disposal of these banned notes. Yet another concern is to bring about an attitude change in devotees who prefer to offer these notes.
H Halappa, the temple executive officer has opined that the government should prescribe measures or initiate a process to deal with the demonetised currency notes that are still being dropped into the hundis, two years after the notes were made invalid.