Nagaon Paper Mill Contractors' Association seeks release of due payments of contractors

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Nagaon Paper Mill Contractors' Association has urged the Chief Minister to release the due payments of contractors, just like the employees of the paper mill.

Addressing a press conference in the city on Monday, president of the Nagaon Paper Mill Contractors' Association, Narayan Prasad Sharma said that the Hindustan Paper Corporation Ltd, a public sector undertaking of the Government of India having two paper mills in Assam, namely Nagaon Paper Mill at Jagiroad and Cachar Paper Mill at Panchgram in Hailakandi district, was lying defunct for the last five years.

"The employers and workers have not got their salary for a long period and their financial condition is becoming worse day by day. The mill operation had been carried as per the guidelines of the Central Government and the majority of the work of mill operation had been carried out on contract basis. The vendors, contractors and bamboo suppliers played a vital role in mill operation, as well as the skilled and semi-skilled workers. Unfortunately, despite their sacrifice, they have not got their dues from Nagaon Paper Mill. They have become jobless and lost their livelihood," he said.

The Nagaon Paper Mill Contractors' Association welcomed the move of the State Government to hold discussion with all the employees' unions of both the mills and finally declare a fund of Rs. 570 crore against pending salary and other dues of employees and workers of both the mills. As in the case of the employees, the Association has urged Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to look into the matter of all the vendors associated with the supply of bamboo to Nagaon Paper Mill.

"The contractors and vendors of Nagaon Paper Mill are yet to get pending dues amounting to crores of rupees. We hope that the Chief Minister will definitely take initiative to solve the problems faced by us," said Sharma.

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