After six months national newspaper back to circulation in Kashmir

After a hiatus of six months due to Covid-19 lockdown, national newspapers are back to circulation in Kashmir.

The newspaper distribution had come to a grinding halt in the third week of March 18 when the government of India announced nationwide Covid-19 lockdown. Though the distribution of the national newspapers has resumed in Kashmir, the newspaper agents say there is hardly any demand for the hard copies now.

CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH

"Earlier in August last year, the circulation of national newspapers was affected after the abrogation of Article 370. It resumed in November, but again in March the distribution had to be stopped. Now there are hardly any readers, who want to purchase hard copies of newspapers," Hilal Ahmad, owner of Khan News Agency on posh Residence Road in Srinagar told DH.

Khan said not only national dailies, but the circulation of local newspapers has also nosedived. "As electronic versions of most of the newspapers are available on the internet, it seems people have forgotten the habit of reading hard copies," he added.

Hilal Ahmed Misgar, Manager with Abdullah News Agency at Amira Kadal, here, said they used to procure some 1,500 to 1,600 copies of national dailies every day. "Today there are no buyers for even 100 to 150 copies as people are reluctant to carry newspapers fearing possible transmission of Covid-19," he added.