GLASS HALF FILLED HALF EMPTY

Two upset men today shook hands and transacted a 500 rupee currency, however in the episode, one couldn’t miss the irony of a situation when the glass has to be viewed as either half empty or half filled - but not totally filled.

The incident occurred at a travel agency when the manager R Sharma grudgingly handed over a Rs. 500 note to a customer J Dkhar. The customer accepted the currency and returned the favour with a grudging demeanour.

“Hope this is not a fake too,” the customer, J Dkhar asked the manager of Sheba Travel agency. “No,” Sharma almost screamed and both men shook hands and laughed.

Dkhar said, few days back he was handed a Rs. 1000 currency by Sharma after he cancelled an air ticket at his agency. But today he discovered it was a fake.

He, therefore, went to the travel agency and told them about the currency. Understandably, there was heated discussion over the issue as Sharma said he never handed the fake note.

After that both Sharma and Dkhar came to an understanding to share the loss, with Sharma giving Dkhar Rs. 500.

“At least we will share the burden and it’s a win-win situation,” one of the employees of the agency said encouragingly, however, the rhetoric didn’t make a lasting impact on either of the men.

Today’s incident may have been resolved amicably, but of late incidence of receiving fake note has been growing in the city. People complain that after being in possession of a fake currency accidentally, they are left with no alternative, but destroy it.

“I received a Rs. 500 fake currency few days back, the bank destroyed it…it’s a loss for me,” Bah Jean, a senior journalists said.

The matter has been accentuated with Meghalaya sharing a porous border with Bangladesh and this vulnerable area has been abused by militants and smugglers to pump in fake Indian currency from across the border.

Pakistan’s ISI has been blamed for the wide circulation of the counterfeit Indian currency here in the region through Bangladesh. The BSF has been successfully recovering fake Indian currency along the border, but still there is a lot to be done.

Meanwhile, Dkhar said he would double check before accepting a Rs. 500 and Rs 1000 note next time, Sharma echoed his sentiments saying: “this is the first time and the last time such an incident is going to happen to me.”