CAIT urges Fin Min to take preventive steps to protect people from contamination of currency notes

New Delhi, Sept 4 (KNN) With regard to contaminated currency notes, traders body CAIT asked Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to conduct a larger investigation to assess the possibilities of diseases getting spread by currency notes.

In a written communication to Jaitley, CAIT urged the minister to take preventive steps to protect people from the contamination of currency notes.

As reported by various study reports, the currency notes are strong carriers of contaminated diseases, said CAIT.

Citing various media reports, CAIT stated that the study conducted by top ranking institutes claimed that the notes were contaminated with disease causing pathogens and warned of their potential to transmit a number of diseases in the community, including urinary and respiratory tract infections, septicaemia, skin infections, recurrent meningitis, toxic shock syndrome and a variety of gastro-intestinal diseases. 

Commenting on the reports, CAIT National President B. C. Bhartia & Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said “it is regretted to note that the scientific journals have been publishing these alarming facts almost every year, but sadly no cognizance has been taken of this serious public health issue.”

They said that the trading community across the country is the largest user of currency notes and if the reports are valid, the said currency notes are vulnerable to the health of not only the traders but even the consumers as well.

CAIT pointed that in India, “We have habits of licking currency notes while counting which can be more hazardous.”

On this grave issue, beside government, the Medical Council of India and Indian Medical Association should come forward to make an immediate investigation, said CAIT.

Calling it a major health threat, CAIT asked for immediate action on the part of the government and other concerned authorities without any further delay.