IMPPA urges Uddhav Thackeray to set up vaccination centre for 6,000 members

The Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association (IMPPA) on Monday wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to set up a vaccination centre for its 6,000 members.

TP Aggarwal, President of IMPPA, said last year's coronavirus pandemic-induced lockdown was a "big blow" for the members following which the union stepped forward to offer financial aid to them.

"The lockdown last year was a very big blow for all our producer members and they were having hardships in surviving in view of which IMPPA through its IMPPA Welfare Trust provided emergency financial relief to all members directly in their bank accounts on three occasions May, June and July 2020 and now the situation after Lockdown two has become more serious due to all opportunities of work and income being closed and the virus spreading at an alarming rate," Aggarwal said in the letter.

In view of the above circumstances, the oldest film producers association in the country decided to write a letter, also addressed to Iqbal Singh Chahal, commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), requesting them to organise a vaccination camp exclusively for their members at "our cost". "We request the Government and BMC to kindly allot a special vaccination camp for our members for which we will be highly obliged. And we assure all our members that we always are with them in both good days and bad days and they can rely on us. We are sure that together we can and we will get rid of the corona which has been haunting this country for two years," the letter said.

Besides, considering the financial hardships being faced by its members, IMPPA in its meeting, dated 5 May, said they have decided to provide monetary help of Rs 3,000, which will be deposited in the accounts of the beneficiaries.

Last week, production house Yash Raj Films requested the Maharashtra chief minister to allocate and allow them to purchase COVID-19 vaccines for 30,000 registered workers, who are members of the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE).