If you thought, the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), issued by the Maharashtra government for cinemas to follow when they reopen (from today onwards), is all, think again. It is now the turn of the local bodies to issue their own set of SOPs. Although many of the SOPs would be the same, there could be some new SOPs which the local bodies would insist on cinemas in their jurisdiction to follow.
For instance, an exhibitor of Nagpur revealed that the licensing authorities in Amravati and Nagpur have unofficially informed cinemas in the two cities that the SOPs for the cities will not permit cinemas to perform shows after 9 p.m. In many states, local bodies have not issued new SOPs, but there are some local bodies which have come up with SOPs and are insisting that they would have to be adhered to in addition to the SOPs of the state government concerned. In Chhattisgarh, local bodies in major centres like Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg and Bhilai have not issued any additional SOPs. However, collectors in some ‘B’ class centres have released their own set of SOPs.
It may be mentioned here that cinemas in several ‘B’ class centres of Chhattisgarh have downed shutters over again after functioning for a few days. The closure has been prompted for two reasons: lack of audience and lack of playing programmes.