The Home Secretary on Sunday clarified that newspaper delivery chain was allowed to operate during the 21-day lockdown as part of exemption granted to the ‘print media’.
Elaborating on the scope of exemptions granted by the home ministry in its guidelines dated March 24 and subsequent addendum orders dated March 25 and 27, Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Sunday informed the state chief secretaries that the transportation of all goods, without distinction of essential and in-essential, was permitted during the lockdown. Sources said this means that non-essential goods can be transported seamlessly through state borders, even though their sale at point of retail and delivery cannot happen during the lockdown.
In his letter to the chief secretaries, Bhalla said groceries allowed to be sold as essential items during the lockdown included hygiene products like hand wash, soaps, disinfectants, body wash, shampoos, surface cleaners, detergents and tissue papers, toothpaste/oral care, sanitary pads and diapers, battery cells and chargers etc.