 "Slum dwellers, oblivious of social distancing guidelines, queue up to receive face masks from the members of the National Human Rights and Crime Control Organization during ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, in Amritsar. Photo: PTI")
With India's surplus face mask capacity choking production lines, the medical device industry has asked the government to lift the ban on export of non-N95 masks to help manufacturers clear unsold inventories and resume production at full capacity.
The government had in March banned export of all kinds of masks to avoid any shortage in the country at a time when the Covid-19 outbreak had started gaining momentum. Last month, it allowed export of non-medical and non-surgical masks made of cotton, silk, wool and knitted materials but export of all medical and surgical masks remained prohibited.
With manufacturers ramping up
