DT
PT
Subscribe To Print Edition About The Tribune Code Of Ethics Download App Advertise with us Classifieds
search-icon-img
search-icon-img
Advertisement

You searched for " weather emergencies "

All
featured-img_1329411

Himachal Pradesh

Bad weather delays CM’s visit by a day

featured-img_1326457

World

Pak Met Department forecasts colder weather in Karachi
featured-img_1325935

Ludhiana

Over 530 primary school students forced to study in extreme weather conditions
featured-img_1325198

Haryana

Reimbursement valid in emergencies even at unapproved hospitals: HC
featured-img_1325352

Himachal Pradesh

Shimla weather dept celebrates 150 yrs of IMD
featured-img_1325483

ThoughtForTheDay

ALBERT Einstein told the world, “Everything is relative”. A clever tweak to this truism popped up on my phone the other day: “For some people who amass power and wealth for their relatives, ‘relative is everything’.” I chuckled at this satirical jab as I recalled an incident. It happened more than a decade ago at an ATM booth located in a fuel station complex on the outskirts of Muscat, the capital of Oman, where I worked for nearly 13 years. As a white-collar professional, I had maintained a self-imposed minimum balance of Rs 50,000 (in equivalent local currency of Omani riyals) in my account, mainly to cater to emergencies like an unforeseen trip to India. However, during one month, I incurred several unplanned expenses. As I entered the ATM booth and withdrew money, I knew that my bank balance had dropped to Rs 30,000, breaching my safety net by Rs 20,000. This realisation made me uneasy as I stepped out of the booth. Just then, a young Indian expat worker in a blue coverall hesitantly approached me. “Saab, I don’t know how to operate these machines. Can you help me?” he asked, holding out his ATM card. “What do you want to do?” I asked. “I want to deposit money into my account,” he said, holding two one-riyal notes amounting to Rs 350. “This machine is for withdrawal. You’ll need a CDM — a cash deposit machine,” I explained. Watching his confused look, I quickly reassured him, “No problem. I’ll help you.” Guiding him to the nearby CDM, I deposited his money. As I handed back his ATM card, he hesitantly looked at me and said, “Saab, I need one more favour.” “What is it?” I asked, my impatience growing. “I want to withdraw five riyals from my account,” he said, his voice faltering. I was perplexed. “Withdraw five riyals — in other words, just Rs 875? Is he up to some prank on me?” I said to myself. “Then why did you deposit two riyals just now?” I asked him. His answer floored me. “The ATM doesn’t allow withdrawals of less than five riyals, and I only have three in my account. That’s why I deposited two riyals, so I can take out my entire five riyals.” Moved by his financial plight, I immediately took him back to the ATM and withdrew his five riyals for him. Driving back home, I felt a surge of conflicting emotions. Just a few minutes ago, I had felt bad for not being able to maintain a minimum balance of Rs 50,000 in my account. Now, after meeting this worker, I understood how blessed I was. Indeed, Einstein was dead right about relativity.
featured-img_1324804

Haryana

Cold weather conditions in Punjab, Haryana
featured-img_1323053

Chandigarh

Cold weather conditions persist in Punjab, Haryana
Advertisement
featured-img_1322770

India

Centre mulls reviving weather advisory units for farmers
featured-img_1322175

Jammu & Kashmir

Z-Morh: A game-changer for all-weather access to Ladakh
tlbr_img1 Classifieds tlbr_img2 Videos tlbr_img3 Premium tlbr_img4 E-Paper tlbr_img5 Shorts