Govt asks print media to continue publication, hawkers allowed to distribute newspapers

March 25: In order to disseminate information among the masses in this hour of crisis, the government has asked the print media to continue publishing newspapers as it is the prime source of information for many. As such, the Assam government has exempted newspapers from the 21-day lockdown. Further, the state government has allowed newspaper hawkers to distribute papers among the masses.

Earlier, the newspaper hawkers in Guwahati refused to distribute newspapers in the city due to coronavirus scare. However, during a press conference in Guwahati on 25 March, Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna informed that the Deputy Commissioner had met with the hawkers’ association and asked them to distribute the daily newspapers. It was, however, informed by the hawkers association of the city that many subscribers have denied to take regular delivery of newspaper fearing it as a medium to spread coronavirus.