SOS by All Assam Cinema Hall Owners' Association

GUWAHATI: Affected by cash crunch because of the corona-induced lockdown in the State, the All Assam Cinema Hall Owners' Association has said that it is going to meet State Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma shortly, seeking succour.

Addressing the media here on Friday, All Assam Cinema Hall Owners' Association president Chinmoy Sarma stated that due to cash crunch the owners of four cinema halls in Guwahati have already downed their shutters. "Power dues have been a major challenge for us. We have to pay a fixed charge for electricity consumption. Penalty has been slapped on us and as we have not been able to foot the power bill. The APDCL(Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd) disconnected power connection of 15 of the 78 cinema halls in the State," he said.

The other members of the association said that they had to feed their employees for 10 months since the lockdown. They have said that now they are not in a position to pay them salaries. They have requested the State government to look into the issue.

Apsara, Meghdoot, Urvasi and Vandana in Guwahati, Silver Screen in Bijoynagar and Aditi in Nagaon are some of the closed cinema halls in the State.

The cause of concern now is that as many as 20 feature films have lined up for release, but due to COVID-19 pandemic the theatres have been closed. This has its cascading effect on the Assamese film industry.

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