Sonagachi sex workers had no option but to accept old notes from customers.

While the whole country is coming to terms with the Centre's decision to demonetise high value currency notes, sex workers are finding it difficult to adapt to this change.

Residents at Kolkata's biggest red light district Sonagachi are still reeling under the shock of the government's decision to dismiss all Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.

For a trade solely dependent on hard cash and with many sex workers having no legal identification document, it's an unannounced crisis at their doorstep.

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While the rest of Kolkata was busy queuing-up outside banks to exchange old currency notes on Thursday, Sonagachi sex workers had no option but to accept old notes from customers.



For refusal would mean no business for a few days. Some of them, however, are keeping record of their customers and asking them to pay later. Those who regularly deal with high paying clients have opened ledger books for records.

"I have opened a book for my regular customers who generally pay in Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes. I'm noting down their names to keep a tab. They can pay later when the new currency notes arrive," said another sex worker.

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