No newspapers in Mumbai, delivery to resume on April 1

The major newspaper publications have signed an agreement to bear the cost of treatment of the delivery persons if anyone gets infected with the coronavirus or COVID-19. With this agreement, the printing and distribution of newspapers in Mumbai will resume from April 1. 

This decision was taken in a meeting between Maharashtra Industry Minister Subhash Desai, Brihanmumbia Vruttapatra Vikreta Sangh (BVVS) and print publishers. The BVVS is the newspapers vendors’ union in the financial capital. 

According to the agreement, the distributors will inform the publishers a day in advance about the required number of newspapers copies for distribution. However, the publishers will have to take the leftover copies back. 

Moreover, the process of distribution of the newspaper copies will be completed between 3:00 AM to 7:00 AM. In the agreement, the publishers have agreed to provide sanitisers and masks to the vendors along with an agreement that they will bear the cost of treatment of any delivery person who may contract the coronavirus or COVID-19. 

The publishers have also agreed to provide vendors with credit until April 14. The agreement was signed by all parties and publishers representing Times of India (TOI), Hindustan Times, Mid-day, Saamana, Sakal, Lokmat, Indian Express and Pudhari. 

Maharashtra has become the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak with 125 positive COVID-19 cases, as of March 26, and four deaths. The number of cases for the coronavirus or COVID-19 in Mumbai has increased to 54. 

Despite the increasing cases of the coronavirus and the directives given by the centre and state government, there have been reports that people are stepping out unnecessarily. However, the reaction of police has been to lathi-charge these people. 

Reacting to this, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday stated that strict action will be taken against those who attack health workers and police while hinting that he would not hesitate to deploy the Army to control the crowd.

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