Decision to be taken on retrenchment compensation, department tells HC

Unpaid employees of defunct Assam Polytex Ltd

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The state's Industries and Commerce Department has assured the Gauhati High Court that it will make a submission regarding the eligibility of employees of the inoperative Assam Polytex Limited to retrenchment compensation as per provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.

This assurance came after a single-judge Bench of the High Court observed that since the matter pertains to non-payment of the entitled dues of the petitioners since 2001, the relief sought by the employees of the mill, "can very well be granted" if mandated by law.

A total of 138 employees of the Assam Polytex Ltd had filed a Writ Petition in the High Court in 2015, in the wake of the state government inking an agreement to hand over the mill to a private entity named Assam Yarn Suppliers.

It emerged during hearing of the matter that the mill has not been functional for quite some time.

At an earlier hearing, the High Court Bench had observed: "Taking into account that the matter pertains to the year 2015 and the petitioners, who happened to be either the employees or the widows of the employees, have not got a single penny since 2001, this Court grants a final opportunity to both the Industries & Commerce Department as well as the Finance Department to make their stand clear … and further to apprise this Court as to whether the mill in question has been closed down or is operational through the private entity".

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