KOLLAM: As the nationwide lockdown is likely to get extended, all the paper mills in Tamil Nadu have been shut down. Following this, the newspaper industry in Kerala is facing a crisis due to the shortage of newsprint. It must be noted that most of the newspaper establishments in the state purchase newsprint from the paper mills in Tamil Nadu while very few establishments import it from abroad.

The newspaper establishments in the state have been depending on the paper mills in Tamil Nadu ever since the Velloor Hindustan News Print factory, a public sector institution, was shut down. As the nationwide lockdown was an unexpected move, most of the establishments did not have a large amount of newsprint in stock. As the crisis extended, the stocks in the mills too were handed over to the newspaper establishments.

Unless the paper mills start functioning soon, the newspaper industry will be facing a huge crisis. It must be noted that all newspapers have reduced the number of pages due to the shortage of newsprint. Though newspaper has been announced as an essential service, the exclusion of commodities such as newsprint, ink and other related goods from the list of essential goods have also worsened the crisis.