Banks confused about fake note detectors

AURANGABAD: Several banks in the city continue to be confused about their fake note detection machines. While a section of bankers say that these devices have become defunct, some others state that they were awaiting advice from the maintenance teams of the manufacturers.
Bank authorities said that they have been checking the genuineness of currency notes both manually and using the old fake note detectors as a safety measure.
Devidas Tuljapurkar, national general secretary of All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), said “The new fake note detector machines have still not reached the financial institutions.”
Even the concerned manufacturers do not have these machines to verify the credentials of new currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000, he said, implying that the existing machines have become redundant.
Another senior banking official said, “It was not clear whether the existing fake note detectors have become obsolete or not post demonetisation.”
“Banks have an annual maintenance contract with concerned manufacturers for upkeep of these machines. The technical teams have not visited banks post demonetisation and therefore it is unclear whether these devices are relevant or not,” said a senior banking official.
P D Deshpande, a member of National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW), said that the chances of old fake note detector machines becoming defunct in all the banks post demonetisation is high.
The technical teams taking care of the maintenance of fake note detectors had visited some banks and the concerned ground staff unofficially told us that old machines cannot be re-programmed. “Many banks have been still using these machines as they have not been informed officially,” he said.
Bank workers also said that the cashier and other associated banking staff could be in dock if fake currency notes are accepted. “The existing fake note detectors are not giving any warning when currency notes are put in. It may be because of counterfeit notes that are still not in circulation or machines have become defunct. Some more clarity is needed on this, as banking staffers will be held responsible in any case,” said one staffer.