The Maharashtra government has issued an addendum in its 17 April 2020 order and also exempted print media from lockdown from 20 April 2020 onwards, according to the Press Trust of India. However, door to door delivery of newspapers and magazines will remain prohibited during the lockdown in the light of Covid-19 pandemic.
The government said on 17 April that industrial activity would resume in special economic zones (SEZs) and the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) areas in 20 districts from 20 April. A variety of sectors have been allowed to operate in the state. Maharashtra has about 230 industrial zones developed by the MIDC. The relaxation will not apply to the 12 municipal corporations, which have been declared as red zones.
Meanwhile, the postal department has extended concessions up to 30 June 2020 for the Marathi newspaper publishers, who are facing financial problems due to lockdown. The publishers will now be allowed to send their March, April, and May editions to their subscribers at a time, at concessional rates, Sakal Times has reported.
Earlier, the All India Marathi Editors Association had requested the postal department to ease the conditions this month, and the department has given a positive response. The All India Marathi Editors Association president Balachandra Kulkarni said that many publications were lying in the press, and many were not getting printed at all as private printing presses were not exempted from the lockdown.
“We feared that our printed, as well as unprinted editions, would go to waste, leading to losses. But thanks to the post office, we will be able to send two-three editions at a time to our subscribers,” Kulkarni said.
